Naughty Language Disclaimer: Nope, not too bad in here. Maybe a word or two.

Other Language Disclaimer: One of the main characters in here speaks Apache, and while it has taken me a long time to find the materials I needed to get this as accurate as possible, there is a very real chance that I messed up somewhere. This is my first attempt at doing a historical piece of Uber fan fiction, so if you notice anything, please let me know. If I have offended anyone with a mistake, I apologize now.

I used the "Western Apache-English Dictionary" edited by Dorothy Bray to find the Apache words. Also, the poem mentioned in here is "Tomorrow" by Peter Blue Cloud. Not mine, unfortunately.

Sex Disclaimer: Well, this is an alternative story, so the two main characters do happen to love each other… and they're both women. (gasp!) If that isn't your cup of tea, you may not wish to read this, or you can give it a try - won't hurt, I promise. Nothing is real graphic in here, anyhow.

Violence Disclaimer: Yeah, there's quite a bit of that in here. Mention of rape and its aftermath, as well as some physical abuse in general. If that kind of stuff bothers you, just close your eyes over those parts.

Author's Note: A big thank you to my friends Charlene, Tina, AJ, and Amanda for being there for me, and to everyone else that I can't begin to name for supporting this little bard. The feedback I get from you readers means more than you can imagine. And, of course, more thanks and love than I can say in words goes out to my beta and best friend, Amber. Always.

If we were to take the time to look into the secret history of our enemies, we would find there a longing and a sorrow enough to disarm all hostility.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

And now, the story:

Y02Mustang@AOL.com

Part 4 (Conclusion)

The large man stepped out of the carriage with a light step, which was quite a feat for a man of his weight, looking forward to surprising his niece, whom he hadn't seen in almost five years.

Smoothing back his short black hair, he straightened his suit as the driver unloaded his bags, and left him to his own devices. Jacob Lee Winters thought back to the last time he'd seen the ranch, at his brother's death, when his nephew Matthew was inheriting the land, planning to share the work with his younger sister, Alicia.

From the looks of things, Alicia seemed to be doing very well for herself; surprisingly well, he thought, without her brother around to help. More than a dozen horses could be seen, and if that Indian would leave, he thought, she would probably do even better.

Well, Jacob could help with that.

"You there," he called, to the woman dressed in her native leather garb, currently playing with her dog, "savage. Remove yourself from this land at once."

Cold blue eyes met gray. "This land belongs to Alicia Winters," Blue Fire replied, evenly. "I will leave when she says, and not before."

"Listen," he said, stepping closer until Wolf growled at him, warning the man to get no closer to his mistress. "You will leave because I say, as I'm sure my niece does not want a savage on her property."

Making up her mind that she did not like this man in the suit, Blue Fire told Wolf to keep the man where he was, a technique the animal easily accomplished by growling whenever the man made a move, as she walked in the house and called for Alicia.

"What is it?" asked the blonde, from the kitchen where she and Virgil were preparing lunch, the boy anxiously doing anything to help pass the time, since his father was expected back later that night. Neither Alicia nor Virgil had seen Christian in almost a week, as he spent most of his time at the cabin, making it livable again. It had been four days since they'd returned from the Apache camp, and while Virgil liked both places just fine, he wanted to be home with his father.

"There is a man outside who calls you his niece," said the Indian, and Alicia hurried out front, smiling brightly when she saw her uncle.

"Uncle Jacob!" she cried. He started towards her, but Wolf snarled and bared his teeth, protective.

"Wolf," called Blue Fire, and the canine went to her side immediately, as Jacob embraced his niece.

"It's been forever. What brings you all the way out here from Boston?" questioned the blonde.

"Why you, of course!" chuckled Jacob, pulling back to get a better look at the small woman, who came up to his chin. "You look good, Alicia," he smiled.

"So do you," she replied. The portly man didn't look much different from the last time she'd seen him. Same gray eyes, same thinning black hair… for all she knew, it could even have been the same suit he'd worn before.

Just then, Virgil walked out to find his friend.

Jacob spotted him instantly. "Ah, boy," he grinned. "Take my things into the house, will you? Come along, now."

Blue Fire approached her young friend, placing a hand on his shoulder as she said, "His name is Virgil, and you can carry your own bags." The Indian knew the man thought the boy was slave, simply because of his dark skin, and was quick to set him straight.

"And just who do you think you are?" Jacob demanded. How dare she speak to him like that!

"Uncle Jacob, this is Robyn," the rancher interjected, suddenly nervous as to what the man would think if he knew of her relationship with the Indian woman.

"What's an Indian doing on your land?"

"She works for me," said Alicia, locking eyes with Blue Fire, sending a silent plea for the woman to forgive her. A tense jaw was clenched, and Robyn simply looked away, her hurt only too obvious to the blonde.

The two had discussed whether or not their relationship should remain a secret early on. Alicia pointed out that while they could have their private time together, it would be best for everyone if they didn't show any affection when others were around. Robyn hadn't understood, but had agreed, for Alicia.

But this was the first time the rancher had deliberately lied about the love they shared.

"I train horses," sighed Blue Fire, coming the woman's rescue when Jacob looked rather skeptical.

"And you also speak English. Congratulations," snorted Jacob. Blue Fire simply glared at him, restraining herself from reaching for her tomahawk.

"Well, Uncle Jacob, I'm sure you must be hungry. Why don't we go on inside and have lunch?" the blonde offered, eager to separate the man and the Indian, who she could tell was barely keeping her anger in check.

The businessman agreed, and followed his niece into her house, Robyn and Virgil not far behind. After sharing a delicious meal of sandwiches and fruit salad, Blue Fire decided she'd had all she could handle of Jacob Lee for a while.

"I should get back to the horses," she said, clearing her place from the table, sparing Alicia a loving smile when she was sure Jacob couldn't see her.

Jacob laughed. "Yes," he chuckled, "and perhaps you'll be ready when the circus comes to town."

Suddenly the Indian was within inches of his face. "I do not train for the circus," she hissed. "If you think you can mock my work, come outside and ride any horse you choose."

"Very well," he grinned, not noticing Robyn's smirk as he got to his feet. "I accept your challenge."

"Uncle Jacob!" called Alicia, running after him. "Please, I wouldn't…"

"Relax, Alicia," he said, patting her arm. "I'm only going to show your Indian friend who is better than whom. Savage, I'll take that gold one, there," he told Blue Fire, who grinned, widely.

"Her name is Winter Escape," she informed him, and asked if he wanted a saddle.

"And a bridle," he agreed.

Alicia sighed as she watched the tall Indian place the tack on the patient Palomino mare. She knew there was no way her uncle could best the woman when it came to horses, much less Winter Escape. And losing would only serve to anger him further.

Leading the mare out of the barn and into the outside pen, Blue Fire held her still as Jacob mounted, not without a small struggle. With a smug grin, Robyn handed the man the reins, and stepped back to allow him room.

"I suggest you go easy on her," she warned, knowing the man wouldn't take her advice.

Clucking his tongue, he watched the horse's ears flick back towards him, but Winter Escape didn't move.

"Come on," he urged, nudging her with his knees. When that didn't work, he became irritated with the Indian's amused expression, and kicked the mare in the sides.

Hard.

In an instant, the horse reared, and Jacob was thrown to the ground as Blue Fire moved in to calm her mare.

Jacob was enraged. "You tricked me!" he cried, stumbling to his feet, his nicely pressed suit now covered in a thick layer of brown dirt mixed with horse manure. "You little savage bitch! No one makes a fool out of Jacob Lee Winters!"

"Oh, my mistake." The Indian easily dodged the punch that was thrown at her. "I won't fight you," she stated. As much as she might want to, and oh did she want to, the woman knew she couldn't hurt him - he was Alicia's family, after all.

"Uncle Jacob, stop this!" shouted Alicia, just as the man pitched forward and fell on his face. With a roar of anger, he charged the Indian, bowling her over into the dust. Continuing with the large man's momentum, Blue Fire tossed him over her head, and leapt to her feet.

Deciding her uncle was beyond convincing, Alicia turned to the woman who held her heart. "Robyn, please! Don't do this," she begged.

The woman stepped back a few paces. "I am not the one who wishes to fight," she remarked, evenly, keeping an eye on the man, nonetheless.

"What's the matter?" he taunted. "Scared?"

Blue Fire shook her head. "No," she assured him. "I just know how to respect a lady when she asks."

Dusting off his suit, Jacob glowered at her, telling himself if he hadn't taken up smoking again, he'd have beaten her. What did it matter that she was younger, stronger, and in much better shape? He could have taken her down in an instant.

As if reading his thoughts, Blue Fire snorted, unimpressed by the man's angry stare. Glancing quickly at Alicia, she began removing the saddle and bridle from her horse, patting her gently and telling her she did a good job.

"Come on, Uncle Jacob," suggested Alicia, taking the man's arm. "Why don't we go inside, and you can tell me about your trip? How's Aunt Margaret doing?" Their voices trailed off, and the Indian was left grooming her mare, wondering how much longer the annoying man was going to be staying.

"I do not like that man," sighed Blue Fire, laying beside Alicia, more than a little unnerved to know that Jacob was sleeping not far away on the living room couch. The blonde had made the sleeping arrangements, Virgil offering to sleep on the floor so the man could have the sofa, and Robyn explaining that she would bed down on the floor just outside Alicia's bedroom, since the living room was full.

Jacob hadn't believed this, and so the Indian grudgingly placed a fur down in the hallway, not more than a few feet from the rancher's bedroom door. When the man came in to wish Alicia a good night, he not so accidentally made sure to trip over Blue Fire, who was sitting on the floor.

However, as soon as the man had left and relaxed on the couch, Blue Fire softly opened the door and climbed in beside her love, taking a deep breath in an attempt to soothe her frazzled nerves.

"I know," sighed Alicia; the Indian's feelings for the man were pretty obvious. "Usually my Aunt Margaret is here with him, and she can keep him in better control than that, but from what he tells me, she's back in Boston, and was too sick to make the journey."

The Indian paused for a moment, before continuing with what else she had to say. "…And I do not like that you lied to him about us," she admitted, softly.

"I know," repeated Alicia. "But I don't know what he'd think if he knew I was with an Indian woman… romantically."

"So you are ashamed of me," came the injured response.

Alicia was quick to respond, forcefully, "You know that's not true. I love you, Blue Fire."

"Then tell him," requested the woman. "You have not lied before this, Alicia; why do you wish to hide now?"

The rancher bit her lip. "I don't know, it's just different. He's all the family I have left," she said, quietly.

Blue Fire nodded. "So, you are only ashamed of our love when it matters," stated the Indian, coldly. She loved Alicia, and only curbed her affections around others because Alicia decided she did not wish to proclaim it to the whole town, although Blue Fire wanted nothing more than to be able to love openly.

"I'm not ashamed of our love, Robyn." A dark eyebrow was raised in skepticism. "I'm just scared of what Uncle Jacob will think - I only want him to love me for who I am. But I doubt he'll accept it.

"I hated lying to him today, Blue Fire, really I did," insisted the blonde. "I didn't want to say you worked for me, I wanted to tell him you're staying with me because I love you more than anything in this world, but I couldn't. He wouldn't understand Please, don't be angry," she pleaded, tears in her eyes as she beseeched the Indian to forgive her, upset with herself for ever giving the woman a reason to doubt her love.

Robyn reached for the woman, and pulled her into a tight hug, her heart constricting when she saw the first tear fall.

"Okay, my love," she soothed, kissing the top of the blonde head. "I did not want to make you cry; that was never my intention, believe me. I will continue to be just a worker, if that's what you think is best."

To her surprise, Alicia shook her head. "I want to be able to be comfortable with you when he's around," she decided firmly. "I… I'll tell him tomorrow, okay?"

The tall Indian tightened her hold. "No, love," she protested. "We will tell your uncle tomorrow. Together." Nodding, satisfied with that plan, Alicia curled up against Blue Fire's side and, wrapped securely in a loving embrace, was soon asleep.

Alicia groaned as the light of the morning sun roused her. One part of her wished she could just stay in bed all day, avoiding the dreaded conversation with her uncle, while the other part knew she had things to do. That, and she'd told Blue Fire they would tell Jacob today - she wouldn't go back on her word, and most certainly to the woman she loved.

Speaking of which, she grinned, noticing the dark-skinned woman beside her was still asleep. Knowing how rare it was for the Indian to sleep past dawn, Alicia carefully slid out form under the covers, restraining herself from planting a gentle kiss on the woman's peaceful face, for fear of waking her.

Knowing Robyn would worry if she awoke to find her gone, the blonde left a quick note on her vacated pillow once she was dressed. Closing the bedroom door softly behind her, the small rancher headed to the kitchen to start breakfast for everyone, Virgil being the only other one awake.

Blue Fire was brought to awareness by the smell of bacon frying, and knew Alicia must have already been up. Stretching to help herself fully wake up, she paused when her hand hit a piece of paper. Rolling onto her side, she smiled as she recognized the familiar handwriting of her love.

R,

Thought I'd let you sleep in for a change.

You just looked too cute to bother, besides. I'll start

breakfast, and we'll find some time soon after to talk

with my uncle.

Love always,

A

With a bright smile, Blue Fire tucked the note into her bag, along with all the other small trinkets Alicia had left for her as a surprise. She was sure the blonde didn't know she kept them, but whenever she was having a bad day, she pulled a few out and went back over them, her heart warming at the expression of love from her soul mate.

Throwing on her deerskin outfit, and slipping on her moccasins, she felt a smile cross her face almost involuntarily when the sound of Alicia's laughter drifted to her ears and filled her heart.

That smile faded when she exited the bedroom, and ran right into Jacob, who gave her a hard glare.

"What were you doing in my niece's bedroom, savage?" he demanded.

Robyn thought quickly. "I was looking for something," she replied, remembering that Alicia wanted to tell her uncle later.

Jacob snorted. "You mean stealing something," he corrected, and the Indian narrowed her blue eyes at him.

"I do not steal," she stated, evenly. "And even if I did, it would not be from Alicia."

"Why were you in her room?" he repeated, angrily, nostrils flaring.

Blue Fire attempted to step around him. "I don't have to answer to you," she sighed, and was fiercely pushed up against the wall.

"You're nothing but an Apache dog," he spat, and she curled her lip at him. "I am a white gentleman, and you must obey me!"

"I obey no one," came the low growl, before Robyn pushed the large man away from her. "And you will not treat me like your slave, because you are no better than me, regardless of the color of your skin. And you are definitely no gentleman."

She gave him one last warning. "Touch me again, and I will forget that you are Alicia's uncle." That said, she headed towards the kitchen, leaving an angry Bostonian banker in her wake.

"Morning," smiled Alicia, when she heard Blue Fire enter beside her, frowning slightly when the tall woman sank heavily into a chair. Turning around, she met the Indian's irritated azure gaze, and briefly wondered what happened, as Robyn mouthed, "Soon".

The blonde was forced to agree - all she wanted to do was give the tall native an apologetic hug, but seeing Jacob make his way to the table, she reluctantly turned her attention back to making breakfast.

"Out of my seat," demanded the portly man, to Virgil, who glanced up at him with a confused expression.

"This is where I sit every morning," the young boy protested.

Jacob glowered at him. "Well, now I'm sitting there, boy," he stated, gripping Virgil by the back of his neck, pulling hard until the child was forced to his feet.

Blue Fire's temper was boiling; she was clenching her fists so hard she left the impressions of her fingernails deep in her palm.

Getting to her feet, she said, softly, "Here, Virgil. You can sit in my chair." The tall woman knew how much the boy liked sitting by Alicia, and listening to her go on and on about anything or nothing - she often felt the same. And since Alicia's kitchen table only seated three, it looked like she'd be eating standing up.

"Thanks, Robyn," he grinned, scrambling into her vacated chair, scooting it closer to Alicia's seat.

Jacob was not at all pleased with this move. "Listen here, you damned filthy nig-"

"Hey!" snarled Blue Fire, before he could finish the slanderous sentence. "I wouldn't say that if I were you."

The man sneered at her. "It's just that the mangy boy will get his blackness all over our food. The slaves in my home eat outside so they don't dirty the meal, and I refuse to eat at the same table as this damned nigger!"

"Then you will starve," stated the Indian. "He has done nothing to you, and still you would attack him for what he can't change. This young boy knows nothing matters but the soul, but you are caught up with what's on the outside. He is more of a man than you will ever be," she finished, firmly, wondering how often she was going to have to demand that people not treat her friend with prejudice.

"Alicia, how can you let this savage speak to me like this?" bellowed Jacob, his face turning red with anger, Blue Fire noting with some amusement that there was a vein in his neck that throbbed when he was mad.

Wonder what would happen if I just closed off that vein… the temptation was almost too great.

The rancher sighed. "Uncle Jacob, I've told you already, neither Virgil nor Robyn are slaves. They're my friends, and I'd appreciate it if you would speak more kindly of them."

The man's jaw opened and shut a few times, as he sat stunned by Alicia's response. His own niece, defending the boy and the savage? Preposterous!

"Come now, Alicia," Jacob cooed, when he had recovered the gift of speech. "I know your brother has been gone for almost three years, and your father for nearly six, but I never realized you were in such need of a man's company and influence. Matthew shouldn't have left the burden of the ranch to his sister."

Robyn's blue eyes narrowed to slits as the man continued to doubt Alicia's ability to upkeep her ranch.

"I understand that it's too much for you to handle. I mean, now I see you not only need a man to help you with the work, but for protection, as well. Letting an Indian and a colored boy in your home!" he scoffed, but was quieted by a look from his niece.

This time it was green eyes that were full of indignant fire, as the blonde rancher frowned at her uncle.

"I may be just a woman, Uncle Jacob," she began, "but I have taken care of Escape Ranch since Matthew first got sick." Blue Fire winced inwardly - she knew that tone all too well. It was the same voice Alicia used when the Indian was caught letting a wet and dirty wolf into the house after she'd just cleaned. Jacob was in for it, now; the tall woman barely hid her smug grin.

"These horses are mine, this land is mine, and this house is mine. Everything within these walls Matthew and I earned with our own two hands. Since he died, the work has been left up to me, and I am proud of what I have done. No man is going to take credit for Escape Ranch, no man will ever take my land, and no man will tell me what to do!" she finished, fiercely.

That's my girl, smiled Robyn, proud of Alicia for standing up to her pig-headed, arrogant, bothersome uncle.

"Alicia, I didn't mean to upset you." Blue Fire snorted at this, and covered it by coughing, not lessening the glare Jacob threw at her. "I just think you should reconsider your choice to let these two remain in your home. What do the townspeople think about you?"

The blonde rancher was close to telling the man exactly what those people could do with their thoughts, when the front door was opened, and Golden Eagle walked in.

"I have retrieved our things, and will be ready to rebuild for the new day," he announced, and Blue Fire nodded, as Virgil rushed to his father, hugging him tightly. "Blue Fire, I ran into Small Fox on the way, and she said the Navajos are still advancing, now less than three towns away. She said her father expects the attack within the next moon," he relayed, and Blue Fire took a deep breath, knowing that meant she might have to leave Alicia to fight with her people. She hoped she could count on Christian to stay with the rancher if she asked, to keep her safe.

"Can we go home, papa?" Virgil asked, hopefully, as Robyn reclaimed her seat, ready to relinquish it in an instant should either one of her friends decide they wanted to sit down or eat breakfast.

Golden Eagle smiled, and patted the boy's head. "Soon, Virgil, very soon," he promised. "We have imposed on our friends long enough, I think."

"That boy is a half-breed?" roared Jacob, outraged.

The brave's brown eyes hardened. "Who is this, who would dare speak to my son in such a tone?" he questioned, sharply.

"Christian, this is my uncle, Jacob Winters," Alicia said, softly, silently asking the Indian not to start the trouble he had every right to begin.

This is so not going to be a good day, the small woman sighed.

"A savage and a slave bore a bastard child! Alicia Marie Winters, I demand that you remove these people from your land immediately!" cried Jacob, unable to grasp that his own niece was housing such persons.

"Uncle Jacob, I have warned you about your language," said Alicia, her voice low and dangerous, quieting the spiel that Christian was ready to give, the man sensing by the blonde's tone that whatever he had planned wouldn't be nearly as good as Alicia's reprimand. "If you cannot respect my wishes, and refuse to be tolerant of the friends I choose to associate with - of which you have no say - perhaps it'd be best if you stayed somewhere else for the remainder of your visit." It had been a long while since she'd been to Boston, but she could still call up the eloquent speech if she needed, although living in the southwest had added a soft drawl to her voice, which Robyn found especially endearing.

Jacob couldn't believe his ears. "You're kicking me out?"

"Yep," grinned Blue Fire, happily crossing her arms across her chest, watching the irate man with caution, trying to guess how long it would take for that pulsing vein in his neck to burst. "I think she's right - it would be better if you left."

"That's simply because you can't accept that fact that I'm right, and you don't understand your place among the white men, savage dog," spat Jacob, glaring at the Indian. "You should no more be allowed in this house than eat at the table. It is not fitting for a native to share the same privileges as a white," he declared, matter-of-factly, as Blue Fire growled at him.

"Why am I any different than you?" she demanded. "I work just as hard as any white man, and do as good a job. Why do I deserve less?"

Jacob rolled her eyes, as if he was tired of explaining it. "Because you're a simple savage," he sighed. "All you know is scalping and rain dances; if you were worth anything, you'd be helping your tribe rather than sitting in a white woman's house like a useless slave."

That was the last straw for Alicia. She refused to just stand by and let the woman she loved be degraded in such a manner, even if it was by her own uncle.

"Now wait just one minute, Uncle Jacob. Robyn is more than just a 'simple savage'. She knows how to read and write English, she's taught me to speak Apache, and she's amazing with horses. I've learned so much since I've known her, and she is my best friend.

"As for her tribe, you know nothing of the circumstances that surround her life here, so you have no right to declare her useless. She often works harder than I do, and does more things around this ranch than I could even begin to get done without her help. Without her, this ranch would have been lost.

"It doesn't matter that she's an Indian," explained the blonde. "I enjoy being around her, and if you think for one moment that Robyn is in any way expendable, or that I will stand here and let you talk about her like that, you've got another thing coming!"

"Why are you defending her?" cried the man, shocked.

Alicia started towards him. "You wanna know why? I'll tell you why, Uncle Jacob. I -"

"Alicia." Blue Fire interrupted the small blonde before she could continue. The Indian figured in the heat of an argument was not how Alicia wanted her uncle to find out about them.

Pausing to glance at Robyn, the rancher stormed out of the kitchen, the slamming of her bedroom door echoing throughout the house. Not caring in the slightest what Jacob thought, Blue Fire rose from her seat, and silently entered Alicia's bedroom.

Blue Fire closed the door behind her, and hurried across the room when she spotted Alicia sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the wall.

"Alicia?" asked the Indian, gently, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Are you all right, love?"

The blonde looked into Blue Fire's concerned sapphire gaze, and quickly kissed the tanned cheek. "I'm sorry, Blue Fire. I just couldn't let him keep talking about you like that!" she exclaimed.

Robyn frowned. "Love, I'm not angry with you," she assured the rancher. "I don't care if he knows, but I did not want you to tell him before you were ready. I am glad you spoke up, because I was going to do something myself, and he would not have liked it."

"I hoped this would work out," sighed Alicia. "I wanted you two to get along."

"I am sorry for this, my heart," soothed the Indian. "I would be willing to give it another shot, as you say, but his hatred has deep roots. I am afraid nothing would change. Do you wish to go back out there?" she asked, after a pause.

When Alicia nodded, she continued, "Perhaps it would be best if we went out separately, in case your uncle is outside the room." …Again.

"Thank you, Blue Fire, for being so tolerant of all this," said Alicia, kissing the woman softly. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Alicia," replied Robyn, smiling at her soul mate. "Go on to breakfast; I will be there in a few minutes." With one last kiss, the blonde slowly left the room, totally unprepared for what awaited her.

Alicia sighed heavily as she entered the kitchen, only to find her uncle sitting alone at the table, finishing his meal.

"Where are Christian and Virgil?" she asked, carefully.

"They said they wanted to work on their house together," was the stiff reply.

The small blonde was about to give the man a vague apology for the way she had acted, hoping he would do the same, when a sudden hand around her mouth prevented her from making any sound.

"Don't say a word," the voice growled. Whoever it was turned her to face her uncle, who seemed to be in a similar predicament.

Suddenly, there was a knife against her neck, and her captor warned, "Move and she dies." To Alicia's horror, there stood Robyn, her sapphire eyes wide, fear for the blonde apparent in their depths.

"Don't hurt her," the Indian pleaded, turning her hands with the palms facing outward, to try to assure the men with masks that if moving meant Alicia was harmed, she wouldn't blink. A sudden blow to the back of the head she sensed was coming but didn't dare defend, and she crumpled to the floor.

"No!" came the muffled cry from Alicia, as she watched the woman fall. The man by her ear laughed cruelly, and when his partner had gagged both Jacob and Blue Fire, he wrapped a blindfold around the rancher's green eyes, and stuffed a rag in her mouth.

"Hey, what do you want me to do with…?" the second man asked.

The response was immediate. "Shoot the animal," he snarled, and Alicia flinched when she heard a shot ring out, praying Blue Fire hadn't been the target.

"You take those two, and I'll take our little blonde gem here," he ordered. "Don't forget to keep them together, all right? Good, let's move." Alicia felt herself being pushed out the door, and then stepping into a wagon, after a long walk through the forest.

And then it all went black.

Robyn groaned as she came to, and the throbbing in her head told her she was very much alive. Immediately, she looked around for Alicia, pausing when she found her back against a tree, with her hands tied tightly behind her back.

Testing her bonds, she realized that although it would take her a while to get free without her weapons, which were lying a tauntingly five feet away, it could be done.

The sooner I get out of here, she thought, the sooner I can find Alicia. With that motivation, the Indian began working on the ropes, when a moan told her she wasn't alone.

"Who's there?" she asked, her throat dry from the gag she had recently managed to remove.

"Oh, you can't be serious," Jacob sighed, upon realizing that there was a person tied to the other side of the tree, and that person was Alicia's damned Indian friend.

Blue Fire growled, briefly trying to think back to what she had done recently to anger the Great Spirit in order to deserve such punishment.

"Listen, I am not concerned with you right now," she explained, tersely. "All that matters to me is finding Alicia and keeping her safe, and if you will not help me, then stay out of my way."

"Hey, I want to find her, too," protested the large man, his palms sweaty and the polyester in his suit doing nothing to cool the heat from the early afternoon sun. He figured the woman, in her leather outfit, must have been sweltering.

"Pull on your ropes," she requested, and, after a startled pause, Jacob did as he was told. Just as Blue Fire had suspected, the knot around her wrists tightened - both captives were tied with the same length of rope.

Interesting, she mused, feeling the knot with her fingers. From what she could tell, it'd be easier to remove her left hand first. Beginning to flex the muscles in her arm and wrist, Robyn set to work.

Over an hour later, no longer aware of the trickle of blood gliding across her palm from the severe rope burns around her wrist, Robyn ordered, "When I say pull, you move your hands as far to your right as you can. Ready?"

"Sure," acknowledged Jacob.

Blue Fire took a deep breath. "Pull!" she cried, clenching her eyes shut, dragging her left hand slowly out of the rope. Ignoring the searing pain, the Indian quickly worked on her other hand. When she was free, she grabbed her knife, and loosed Jacob, who struggled to his feet.

"You're bleeding," he noticed, as the dark-haired woman attempted to staunch the flow, using the red bandanna that had once been used by her captors to muffle any sounds she may have made.

"Very observant," Robyn snorted, wryly, inhaling quickly when the cloth made contact with the raw wound. Replacing her knife, which she was still extremely surprised had been left behind, along with her tomahawk, their presence telling her thieves hadn't been behind the attack, the tall woman looked around to get her bearings.

"We are about ten miles west of Apache land, and fifteen miles from Alicia's ranch," she deduced, tonelessly. "It would be best to go to the ranch, where I can get to the horses. Then I will find Alicia," the woman concluded.

"You would rather return to a white's house than to your own land?" questioned Jacob, and Robyn glared at him.

"First of all, if you would like to walk into a camp full of Apache with your attitude, I would be more than happy to escort you, believe me. Secondly, what do you know of my tribe?" she snarled. "You do not understand the reasons for what I do, so why do you assume it is wrong? Just because it may not be what you would choose does not mean it will not work."

That said, the Indian stormed off, heading towards Escape Ranch at a fast pace. Jacob sighed, and began to follow her. He hated to admit it, but he didn't know where to go, and he really didn't want to end up in Apache land, so Blue Fire was his only hope.

He needed her help.

"Wait," he cried, and hurried to catch up to her.

Hours later, Blue Fire was regretting having left the banker's gag behind. The man refused to let up about the heat, and how tired his feet were, and how he thought they should be there already, and how thirsty he was, and…

The Indian tuned him out for as long as she could, until his incessant whining became too much for her to take.

"Complaining is not helping us find Alicia," she stated, evenly. "I am tired as well, but it does not good to think about it."

"I just don't understand," Jacob muttered, under his breath. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this."

Sapphire eyes regarded him carefully, but Blue Fire said nothing. They were nearing the ranch, at any rate; then she'd be rid of the man. With every passing moment, her concern for her soul mate increased. Not only did she not know where Alicia was, but she didn't know who had taken her.

Or why.

And that scared her.

Jacob's voice broke through her thoughts. "So, how'd you get that mark on your hand?" he asked, conversationally, and the Indian frowned. He pointed to the back of her right hand, where the tattoo of a small disc-like object was seen on the flesh between her thumb and first finger.

The Indian sighed. "It is a symbol that has been in my family for many generations," she explained. "It is a real weapon, and was used in battles by my ancestors until it was not needed. My grandfather, a great medicine man of our tribe, once had a vision of a warrior who would wear the symbol on her body, and would run with the wolves and the horses. He said it was a woman, but everyone doubted him, because it was said that women could not be warriors.

"I am that warrior," she finished, "and my grandfather's prophecy has been proven." Talking on the part of the Indian ceased when the ranch came into view, and even Jacob was quiet, deep in thought, but the silence didn't last long.

"They weren't supposed to take her," muttered Jacob, to himself, and paused when the Indian in front of him suddenly stopped in her tracks. Slowly turning to face the man, who was only then beginning to realize that she might have overheard his comment, blue eyes pinned him in place.

"Are you telling me you knew about this?" demanded Blue Fire, approaching the banker in two long strides. "That you had a hand in this?" In an instant, her hand was encircling his throat, and Jacob Lee was having a hard time breathing.

Clawing at the relentless and seemingly steel-enforced grip, he choked out, "I didn't… they weren't supposed to… they didn't listen to…"

The woman had heard enough. "Why?" she hissed, tightening her hold.

Too frightened to worry about lying, Jacob admitted, "My brother, Samuel, was supposed to leave the land to me. I… I was still in Boston, and told him I was going to make it into a hotel; I would have been rich! I was the next in line, but he left it to Matthew, instead.

"Then, when Matthew got sick, I was sure the property would be mine. I didn't think he'd leave it to Alicia - I knew it was hard work, and I was sure the girl didn't want to carry it on without her brother," he continued. "When I heard it was in her name, I was enraged; it was supposed to be mine in the first place…

"I had contact with Jake and Brian from a few years back, the last time I was here," the man explained, and Robyn's stomach tied itself into a sick knot; she knew what was coming. "I told them when I was coming, and asked them just to scare her a bit, and to get you out of the picture, just until Alicia signed the deed over to me. They weren't supposed to take her, or me…"

He sighed. "This wasn't part of the plan," Jacob concluded.

"Jake and Brian are supposed to be in jail," she growled.

Jacob nodded as best he could. "I wired them the money for bail," he confessed, "along with a telegram telling them what to do. They failed last time, so I decided if I came out here, maybe it would work."

The tall woman's jaw was clenched, and her breathing was labored as she fantasized about snapping the man's neck. It wouldn't take more than a flick of her wrist, and the man would never worry about land ever again.

Swallowing hard, she began, "If Alicia gets hurt…"

"I know," Jacob interrupted, whining. "If they hurt her, I…"

"No," she said, sternly, interrupting the weak apology she was sure was coming, before she had to listen to it. "If something happens to Alicia, if they hurt her, you will not only have to deal with me, but you will have to live with yourself." Releasing him, she called for Winter Escape, and praised the horse when she came right up to the fence, waiting to be let out.

Doing so, the Indian then whistled for Wolf as she slipped a halter over her horse's nose. Frowning when the normally very obedient canine didn't appear, she tried again, and even shouted, "Wolf! Wolf, let's go!"

No response.

Jacob spoke up rather weakly, his voice trembling. "Uh, when Jake and Brian came, he tried to stop them, and they…"

He didn't have time to finish before Blue Fire sprinted into the house at full speed, sapphire eyes wide, fearing the worst.

"Wolf!" she cried, as she rounded the corner into the kitchen, and came to a skidding halt. "Oh, Wolf." There, breathing shallow and intelligent eyes clouded, lay the woman's best friend. Dropping to her knees, she stroked the bloody fur gently, tears springing to her eyes as the faithful animal lovingly licked her hand.

"You'll be all right… Forgive me, Spirit Guide," she pleaded, before spotting the bullet wound to his shoulder, and plunging her fingers into the wound to retrieve the small caliber bullet. Quickly tying a cloth over the hole, to help stop the bleeding, she lifted the wolf into her arms, wincing when he whimpered slightly.

Laying him carefully on the fur beside Alicia's bed, which she brought in from the hallway, she made sure he had easy access to clean water and a portion of meat, praying with all her might that the wolf would survive.

"I must leave you, now," she told him, and he barked his understanding weakly. "Rest, and heal, my friend. Now I go for Alicia." Rising to her feet, the tall Indian grabbed her bag and walked out of the room without a single glance back, knowing if she looked at the injured animal once more she would never be able to leave.

Mounting Winter Escape as soon as she was outside, Blue Fire noticed with some irritation that Jacob was still standing idly where she'd left him, and she demanded, "Where did they take her?"

The man's brown eyes met her own hard blue gaze. "I told you, they weren't supposed to do this. I don't know where they'd take her," he promised. "Which horse should I take?"

A dark eyebrow was raised in his direction. "You are not going with me," Blue Fire stated, evenly, leaving no room for argument. "I will find Alicia on my own. You will stay here."

"But, she's my niece!"

"And it is on your head that this has happened," the woman reminded him, angrily. "I do not care who she is to you, if it was not for your greed this would not have happened. You will be no help to me or Alicia.

"If I catch you following me, you will find my tomahawk buried in your chest. Do you understand?" Eyes wide, Jacob simply nodded, silently.

"Dotth'izh ko'!" cried a voice, and Blue Fire sighed as she looked up, watching Small Fox ride through the forest. "Dotth'izh ko', the Navajo have been seen! They are less than two hundred miles from the camp. My father asks for your help," she said, gently.

The tall Indian growled at the situation. She had to find Alicia, and now she had to fight a war. Terrific. Her heart or her people… which did, she obey? If she fought with her people, Alicia would surely die. But if she searched for Alicia instead, there was a possibility that she might still die, and surely her absence would not help the Apache. She was torn between the two, and took a few tense minutes to argue with herself, before coming to a decision; one which could be life altering, she realized.

"Small Fox, Alicia has been taken. I… I must go after her," she explained. "Please, understand. I want to help my people, but Alicia may not live if I do not find her. I cannot fight in the battle," she admitted, at last.

Small Fox was quiet for a moment, and then nodded. "I do understand, Dotth'izh ko'. She is your soul mate, you have said. Our people can rebuild themselves elsewhere. You will not find another like Alicia. Go to her, and all of the luck to you, sister." With a final glance at her friend, the young girl spurred her mount in the direction she came, disappearing into the thick trees.

"Remember my warning," Blue Fire snarled to Jacob, and then silently prayed that she would be in time to save Alicia. In an instant, bareback with a simple rope halter around the mare's head, the Indian was off at a gallop, the horse underneath her struggling to keep up with the pace her mistress was requesting.

The tall Indian traveled through the night, using the moon's light to guide her, until her horse could go no further. Realizing that both she and Winter Escape needed rest, and not wanting to run the mare to death, Blue Fire reluctantly found a place to camp for a while.

She hated having to stop; the wagon tracks she was following were beginning to fade, and Robyn knew the men had at least half a day's lead on her.

"East," she muttered, trying to force herself to rest, succeeding only in staring at the fire. "All I know is that they're headed east. What is out there? Where are they taking her?" Robyn wondered, aloud.

"I will find you, my love," she swore. "If it is the last thing I do, if it takes the last beat of my heart and the last breath of air from my lungs, I will find you." That promise given, she tossed the small twig she'd used to stoke the fire into the flames, watching it slowly burn, before digging through her bag.

Pulling out some of the notes Alicia had left throughout their time together, Blue Fire found tears welling up in her eyes at the memories. A quick note left when the blonde was too tired to stay up any longer, but Blue Fire was not yet home… or a small letter placed where the Indian was sure to find it, simply stating the rancher's love… they all brought back wondrous emotions of her life with Alicia, and the love they shared.

Holding the papers close to her heart for a moment, she returned them to the bag carefully, and then stretched out on the ground to try to sleep.

Waking two hours later, just past dawn, the Indian rose and called her horse, gently asking the animal if she could carry on for another day. When Winter Escape snorted, and tossed her head, the tall woman mounted with ease, spurring her mare into a quick gallop.

After three days of following the wagon tracks, Blue Fire was frustrated to wake one morning and find they were fading. She could barely make them out, and was forced to dismount and slow her pace, in order to examine subtle clues left behind by crushed leaves and broken twigs.

Later that same day, as the sun was setting and Robyn considered stopping for the night, the tracks suddenly reappeared, clear as crystal. The Indian paused, cautious. The men were either both extremely stupid and careless, or they wanted her to find them. She was going for the latter.

That meant they knew she was there, and that worried her. She'd been planning to have the element of surprise on her side, since she didn't know the circumstances under which Alicia was being held, but now it didn't look like she even had that anymore.

Deciding this new discovery was trouble, Blue Fire began walking beside her mare, traveling until the sun rose the next day. If Jake and Brian knew she was following them, Robyn assumed they would attack her sooner or later, and more than likely at night. To hinder that threat, the tall woman only slept for a couple of hours, and only during the day.

One week into her journey, one of the daytime naps brought problems. Robyn had just fallen asleep with Winter Escape a few feet away, when the Palomino snorted, startling her mistress.

Frowning, the Indian leapt to her feet when she heard movement nearby, shouting, "Come out! Face me!"

"As you wish," chuckled Jake, stepping out from behind the bush he'd chosen for cover, hand already poised on the pistol at his hip.

"Where is Alicia?" she demanded, her temper flaring at the sight of the man she loathed.

Jake shrugged. "She's around," he smirked, enjoying taunting the Indian immensely.

Her lip turned up at him, dangerously. "If you've hurt one hair on her head, I will kill you myself, I swear it," she warned, lowly.

The man snapped his fingers, and five more men appeared, surrounding the woman, who immediately sent her mare running, out of the danger.

"Six to one," Jake clucked, "what odds. Let me caution you, savage bitch. If you fight back, you'll never see your precious Alicia alive again. That I swear to you."

With that, two of the men rushed towards her, grabbing her arms tightly. Fighting back her instincts, which told her to struggle and free herself, Blue Fire allowed her captors to carry her off, and shove her into an awaiting wagon.

"Why would you do this?" she asked Jake, who instantly backhanded her with all his strength, splitting her lip wide open.

"You don't speak until you're given permission, slave," he sneered, and Robyn glanced up at that word. "Oh, that's right; you'll be our slave until we have what we want."

Blue Fire looked indignant, and spat at the man's feet. "I am a slave to no one," she stated, receiving another hard slap.

Jake was not pleased with her response. "Then you will watch Alicia die, and she'll know you chose to sentence her to death." Seeing the utter look of terror written on the Indian's face, the smirk on his face returned. "Or, you can do as you're told," he continued, sweetly.

Robyn hung her head. "I will do as you ask, just don't hurt Alicia," she agreed, quietly.

Gripping her chin painfully hard, Jake forced her head up to meet his gaze. "You're the reason we failed in the first place," he snarled, "so you don't have no right to bargain. If I feel like killing her off, then there's nothing you can do about it, understand?

"Now, shut up, you're annoying me. Blindfold her, you idiots!" Jake ordered, and Blue Fire felt a cloth go around her eyes. She was silent the entire ride, which she guessed to last about four hours, contemplating a plan to rescue Alicia without jeopardizing the blonde's life.

She was unable to come up with anything; each scenario she chose led to the death of her love.

"Out," a voice commanded, and Robyn was dragged from the wagon. Allowing the men to lead her forward, her sensitive hearing soon picked up on the sound of a door or gate opening, and then another.

"Lock her up," was the last thing she heard, as a club to the side of her head rendered the Indian unconscious, and she fell to the floor.

"Well, well, well, boys. Looks who's awake."

Blue Fire groaned as she came to, and found herself chained to the wall. Her wrists were suspended by iron chains connected to the ceiling, and the restraints on her ankles were fastened to the side. Pulling on her bonds for a moment, she found them to be made of heavy iron, and very strong.

"Stuck now, ain't you, savage?"

"Who are you?" she asked, and a hand reached out, striking the woman hard in the stomach.

"Jake said you ain't supposed to talk," the voice reminded.

When her vision cleared, the Indian was able to examine her surroundings. She was chained inside a cell that appeared to be little more than a dungeon, with a barred gate, and thick cement walls. The room was barren, save iron rings in the center of the ceiling to transfer her chains, she assumed, so as to have access to her entire body.

All in all, it was not a comforting scene for the Indian, who remembered with a grimace the lashings she'd received a few months before, also at the hands of the white man.

A door was opened, and Blue Fire squinted for a moment when the light bombarded her eyes.

"Jake wants you all up here to take care of the blonde wench," a deep voice called, which Robyn recognized as Brian's. "Leave Matthew to give her some water; Jake wants her alive." The woman heard footsteps, and saw two silhouettes leave the room, leaving a heavy silence around her when the door slammed shut.

Her sapphire eyes widened in surprise when a young boy entered the cell, bringing her a pail of water and a ladle.

"A child?" she whispered, and the boy's head shot up to meet her stare, his brown eyes hard.

"I ain't no kid; I'm fourteen," he corrected, seriously, offering the woman the water, which she drank gratefully.

The Indian frowned. "I am sorry Jake has involved you in this," she said, honestly.

This made the boy pause. "Why do you care?" Matthew asked, brushing his shaggy blonde hair away from his face. "You don't even know me."

"That does not mean you deserve to be here," Robyn stated. "This is no place for a boy like you - why are you here?"

Matthew looked away. "Jake said he'd give me two of the lady's horses if I helped him," he admitted. "We all know the horses from Escape Ranch are 'specially good, and my ma and sister ain't doing good, and we need the horses."

Blue Fire shook her head. "He is greedy, and cares only for himself. He will give you nothing in return, Matthew."

Apparently not liking that idea, the boy turned on his heel. "You ain't supposed to be talking, anyhow. I shouldn't be talking to you, either," he added, and headed out of the cell.

"Matthew!" cried Robyn, and the boy stopped. "Thank you, for the water." He said nothing, but sat down at a table just outside the cell, and began playing cards by himself.

Chained up as she was, Blue Fire couldn't be sure, but she guessed about an hour had passed before the men returned, and she received another beating. It went on like that for many days, until the Indian lost count; the two men would come every couple of hours to beat her, leave, Matthew would bring her water, and then sneak her some of his food since Jake didn't feed her otherwise. She began to develop a slight friendship with the young boy, and had just finished listening to the child describe his mother and sister's struggle to make ends meet since his father left them, when the door opened once more.

There were three of them this time - Jake was with them. Opening the gate, he walked within a few feet of the Indian, grinning idiotically.

"You hanging in there okay?" he questioned.

"Just fine," she replied, tersely, not finding the joke at all amusing.

Jake's smile didn't falter. "And how's that dog of yours?"

"Fine," Blue Fire growled, determined not to let the man get to her. He was trying to get a response out of her, and she knew it. The Indian didn't plan on giving him the satisfaction of knowing he bothered her.

"You know, in all the years I've known Alicia, I never realized just how good of a fuck she really is," he remarked, casually.

That did it. No amount of restraint or self-control could avoid the anger that welled up within her heart, exploding from her soul in the form of a cry that bordered on a roar, as the Indian pulled against her bonds, trying hard to maul the man that would dare speak of the woman she loved in such a way.

"You bastard!" she spat, continuing her struggle until the other two men moved in beside Jake, using thick clubs on her sides until she was subdued, Jake laughing cruelly just three feet from the woman's now-exhausted body.

"This is the way slaves like you get treated when they don't behave," explained Jake, leering at the weakened body that hung before him.

Suddenly, a voice shouted, "Hey, Jake, you'd better get up here quick! You won't believe who just showed up."

The man frowned, and headed for the door. "Stay here," he told Matthew, "keep an eye on her. Don't get close to her 'less you're giving her water. I don't want to see you anywhere else, is that clear?"

"Yeah," said the boy, evenly, as Jake continued on his way out the door.

"Matthew, have you ever seen the lady Jake has here?" Blue Fire asked, when Jake had gone, and the boy glanced up at her.

"Nah," he admitted, "I ain't never seen her. I only been in here since I came."

The Indian sighed, worried about Alicia; Jake's remark hadn't helped her concern at all. "Do you think you can do me a favor?" she questioned, quietly.

Matthew frowned, and didn't answer right away. "Why? What do you want me to do?" he countered, brown eyes wary and hunting for a trap.

"Do you know where Jake is keeping the lady?"

"Yeah, why?"

Here was the real question: "Can you find a way to check on her?"

"What for?" asked the boy. "She's white, and you're an Indian."

"Jake is holding my soul," Robyn said, softly.

Matthew frowned, and interrupted her to ask, "You mean like magic or something?"

"No, Matthew, it is not magic," the woman told him. "Alicia… the lady… she is more important to me than anything else on this earth. I love her very much, and I am afraid she is hurt."

"Kinda like how I wanna help my ma and sister," the boy stated, after taking a moment to think about what Robyn had said.

The woman smiled, weakly. "Yes, kind of like that," she agreed. "I'm worried that Alicia is hurt, and that Jake has done something to her, and I would feel better if I knew she was okay. Will you check on her, Matthew?

"Do not do it if you think you'll be caught," she added, quickly. "I don't want you to be in trouble."

Matthew grinned, proudly. "If'n I don't wanna be seen, can't nobody find me," the boy boasted. When the tall woman began coughing due to a dry throat, he rushed to bring her the pail of water, carefully helping her drink.

"I'll go next time they come in, that way they shouldn't be here again for a while," he promised. "An' if they ask where I'm at, you tell 'em I just went to get some more water."

Blue Fire looked a little more relaxed. "Thank you, Matthew," she whispered, sincerely.

The boy simply nodded, and exited the cell, returning to his seat only minutes before the same three men walked through the door.

Without a word of warning, or a single cruel taunt, Jake opened the gate, and led the others right to her, unleashing an angry fury of fists and an occasional club on various parts of the woman's body.

"Move her," the man commanded, and Blue Fire was vaguely aware of her chains being released through the fog in her mind, and then heard the click as she was once again enchained, this time in the center of the room. Snapping his fingers, Jake watched his men go to work on the woman again, stopping them only when she didn't have the strength to lift her head from her chest.

"Good news, savage," sneered Jake, grabbing a fistful of jet-black hair, forcing cloudy blue eyes to focus on him. "Sounds like my gorgeous blonde friend may be pregnant. I'm gonna be a daddy, what do you think of that?"

Robyn knew if she had the energy, she'd have been sick, but instead she groaned and was glad when Jake released his grip, leaving the bloodied and heartbroken Indian alone in her cell as he walked away.

Although wishes for death ran through her mind, Blue Fire was grateful when Matthew dutifully brought her water, which she took a single sip of, and then refused anymore. She had failed Alicia terribly, and now the woman was pregnant - the Indian's only desire was to go to sleep and never wake up again.

"Hey," Matthew called, softly breaking into her grim thoughts, "I'm gonna go see to the lady, now; if'n you still want me to."

Blue Fire sighed, but gathered enough strength to nod. "Matthew," she said quickly, before he left, "be careful, and thank you again." Smiling a little, proud to have a mission, the young teen went on his way, creeping through the hall.

After what seemed like an hour, but was really only twenty minutes, the door opened, and Blue Fire held her breath as she had at every noise, hoping the boy hadn't been caught.

To her relief, Matthew was alone, with a triumphant grin on his face as he approached her.

"I did it," he said, and the Indian nodded.

"Did you see her? How is she? Is she okay? Is she hurt?" Robyn asked, the concern back full force.

Matthew's response was gentle. "Yeah, I seen her. She's real pretty looking, too. Got a bruise on her cheek, but other than that she's all right," he reported.

Then Blue Fire asked a question she wasn't sure she wanted to be answered. "Is she… is she chained, like me?"

Brown eyes grew wide. "Oh, no! She's got a bed an' food an' everything! They're treating her real good. I was gonna stay longer, but I heard Jake say something about getting her to sign something or he was gonna show her something she wasn't gonna like," he explained, and the woman didn't like the way that sounded.

Sure enough, no sooner did Matthew sit down and begin another game of solitaire, but voices were heard down the hall.

"Keep moving!" Jake growled, as the two men, along with Brian and Jacob walked ahead of the man to open the door for him.

"Nothing you could show me will make me change my mind, Jake!" cried Alicia, and Blue Fire's breath caught in her throat at the sound. "I will not give you my land, or my horses."

"So, you won't sign the deed?" he repeated, as he opened the door and motioned the woman inside.

"No, I will not sign…" The blonde's voice trailed off to a gasp when her emerald eyes took in the suspended form of her chained love. Immediately rushing towards the gate, Jake moved quickly and restrained her, gesturing to the others with him to work on the woman again.

"No!" begged Alicia, tears in her eyes as she watched the men pummel the woman with all their might, Blue Fire completely at their mercy. "No, please stop!"

Jake smiled. "Sign the deed over to me," he demanded.

"No, Alicia!" shouted Robyn, with more force than she thought she had left, and winced when the blows only increased. Her bruised body could no longer withstand the pain; mercifully, she passed out.

The rancher couldn't stand it any more. "I'll sign it! I'll sign it! Just stop hurting her," she pleaded, and the beating instantly ceased.

"Get the deed," ordered Jake, releasing Alicia, who ran to the bars, only to find the gate locked.

The blonde turned her eyes back to Jake, requesting, "Let me in there. Please, I said I'd sign it, now just let me see her."

With a sigh, Jake approached the gate and told the men inside, "Release her," while unlocking the iron barrier. As the unconscious Indian fell to the floor, Alicia rushed in, and caught her just before she hit the ground.

"Oh, Blue Fire, I'm so sorry," mumbled Alicia, tears leaving their marks on her cheeks. With an audible groan, blue eyes fluttered open, and the fallen Indian focused on the woman above her.

"Alicia…" she uttered, and the rancher's sob was unstoppable as she heard the soft, gentle, loving voice she'd missed for so long caress her senses again, although weak, tired, and broken.

"You're crying? Don't cry, my heart. Are you okay?" Robyn asked, worried.

The rancher nodded. "I'm fine, sweetheart. But, you…"

"I am all right."

"No, you're not!" countered the blonde. "I saw what they did to you; I know you're hurt, Blue Fire. Now, please, don't lie and tell me you're all right. What hurts?"

Before the Indian could respond, a pen and paper was thrust into Alicia's hands, with the demand, "Sign it, wench."

Looking it over carefully, the young blonde frowned and shook her head. "I can't sign this," she said, and Jake was quick to strike her, causing sapphire eyes to flash angrily, as an injured Indian attempted to move to defend the woman, only to have the pain overtake her.

"Leave her alone," growled Robyn, but Jake ignored her completely.

"Sign it or watch her die!" Jake's two henchmen made a move as if to grab Blue Fire, but Alicia cried out, halting them.

"No! I mean this is an old deed. It still has Matthew's name on it, so even if I signed it, it wouldn't do any good. I've been meaning to get a new one, but haven't had a reason, yet," she explained, and Jake paused, not sure what to do.

"We'll discuss this with the boss," he decided, abruptly leaving the room with his men, so the women were alone, save a young boy who was playing cards, politely trying to give them their privacy as best he could.

There was silence for a moment, as Alicia lovingly held the woman's head in her lap, stroking her long hair.

"I will get us out of here, my love," Blue Fire promised, and called for her friend. "I have a plan, Matthew, but I need your help. I think Jake will want to send someone to town to get a new deed, and he will choose you because you are not that important to him. Lauren will be the one to make the new deed.

"If you go, go to Lauren, and tell him to draw up a deed to Alicia's land that only requires her signature, but to make it false. Something small that is not very noticeable, so if they get it, they will only have a piece of paper.

"Then go to the sheriff, and tell him what is happening," she instructed. "Ask him to follow behind you until you return, when he should be hidden, and come in later. I don't believe the new sheriff will have a problem with your request. Can you do that, Matthew?"

Matthew nodded. "And then Jake will go to jail?" he questioned.

"Yes," agreed Blue Fire, "he will. So will Brian and the two men he favors using for the physical work."

The boy seemed to accept this, and said, "Well, I'll leave you both to yourselves, since I don't know when Jake'll be back in." True to his word, Matthew went back to his card game, trying to concentrate more on the cards than the soft-spoken conversation the women were sharing.

"I was worried," admitted Blue Fire, lowly. "I didn't know what Jake had done to you… it scared me."

Alicia gently kissed the woman's forehead. "All I knew was there was a gunshot before they took me; I didn't know if they'd shot you or what.

"And Jake only hit me that first day; after that, he left me alone. I didn't know you were here… I should have made the connection. He stopped taking his anger out on me, and turned it to you."

The tall woman fell silent for a time. She didn't want to ask Alicia about what Jake had said, because she didn't want the blonde to confirm it. The Indian knew if it was true, the idea that Jake had managed to give Alicia the one thing she never could would destroy her.

"Hey, are you all right?" came the concerned voice, and Robyn gave a weak smile.

"Just tired," she lied, assuring the blonde she loved. They had to discuss the dreaded topic of pregnancy at some point, but now was not the time; Robyn wasn't up to it, physically or mentally, and she knew it.

"You can rest, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere." Closing her eyes, Blue Fire thought about how good it felt just to have the woman nearby, and swore she'd do whatever she had to, to never let them be forced apart… ever again.

Jake's conference with his men and the boss lasted for another ten minutes, before the sounds of their return alerted Robyn.

"All right, this is what we're gonna do," Jake announced. "Matthew, you'll go into town and get a guy named Lauren to make a new deed for the land, and bring it right back here. Screw up or try anything funny and it'll be your sister that pays, got it?"

Matthew agreed, and got to his feet.

"I'll go with him and make sure he does like he's told," a deep voice offered, and blue eyes shot open when the Indian recognized the voice: Jacob. "I want to speak with my niece alone for a moment. Leave us, all of you," he ordered, and they scrambled to obey, Matthew included.

"Alicia," murmured Blue Fire, upon noticing the woman had not stopped the loving caress of her hair, "it is your uncle… help me up, or he will know we are together."

The blonde shook her head. "Being away from you these past two weeks was too much, Blue Fire. All that matters to me right now is that you're here… I honestly don't care what anyone thinks, even my uncle."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," was the brave reply.

Jacob approached the two slowly, eyeing Blue Fire with caution, as she struggled to get to her feet, leaning heavily on Alicia for support.

"I might be injured, and I don't have my tomahawk, but you are not going to be off the hook, as you say. I warned you not to follow me, and I will carry out my threat with my bare hands, if I must," she growled, a pitiful sight with blood running from a cut above her left eye and a split lip, bruises and small cuts visible everywhere. She stood for a few moments, trying her best to look intimidating and strike fear into the man, but was soon forced to her knees by the pain, Alicia gently helping her to the ground.

"Just hear me out," pleaded the banker, watching his niece interact with the Indian with come interest. "I came here to help… to try to atone for what I've done."

"Uncle Jacob, what are you talking about? Why are you here?" questioned Alicia, warily.

Blue Fire responded before Jacob had the chance. "He is the one who told Jake and Brian what to do. It is his fault we are here," she spat.

"What?" the rancher cried, turning on her uncle. "Why?"

Jacob looked away. "We don't have time to talk about that right now," he said, avoiding giving an answer. "I'll go with Matthew to make sure he can carry out my plan, which is to…"

"He already knows our plan," interrupted the Indian. "He will do it that way."

"Okay, then I'll go to ensure his success," the man corrected. Blue and green eyes looked skeptical. "Listen, if I go, they won't be suspicious of anything. I know what I've done is wrong, and now I just want to fix it. Please, trust me," he added, sincerely.

"Why should we?" demanded Blue Fire.

"Because right now you have no choice!" he replied, angry. "I want to get you out of here, and I'll do my best to get you home safely, but you have to work with me! I'll leave instructions for Jake to allow you to visit, Alicia, and for no one to touch you."

"Or Blue Fire," she stated, and the man sighed.

"Or Blue Fire," he echoed, dutifully. "It should only take us four or five days to get there and back, so you'll both have time to heal.

"I'd better call them in, so we can get on our way," Jacob decided, and added quietly before he left, "I'm sorry."

It was an extremely nerve-wracking five days for both women. True to his word, Jacob made sure Jake knew that Alicia was allowed to see Blue Fire whenever she wished, and the man grudgingly moved the blonde's cot in the cell, allowing Alicia to sleep next to the Indian, although Robyn was not allowed on the mattress. Jake chained her in the evenings, and then released her at dawn, also removing the cot at daybreak. Sleeping side-by-side was a luxury he would not allow them.

Finally, at about noon on what Alicia guessed to be a Sunday, Blue Fire heard the voices of Matthew and Jacob. They had returned, and judging by what Jake was saying, they had the deed with them.

"Well, let's get her to sign it!" he cried, opening the door that led to the cell, the others following close behind. "All right, Alicia, we've got a good one, now. Sign it." Once again thrusting the pen and paper in her hands, he watched with irritation as she read it over carefully, taking as much time as she dared.

"Hurry up!" Jake growled, raising his hand in a threatening manner that made Blue Fire wish she had her tomahawk. She was almost fully healed, although her ribs were still sore, and she had a difficult time walking too far… she suspected her legs had been fractured at some point. Same with her shoulder, if the pain she felt when she moved her right arm was any indication.

Taking the pen, Alicia signed it quickly, and handed it back to the man, knowing that Jake hadn't noticed the "to be redeemed in the year 2000" written at the bottom.

Good old Lauren, thought the blonde, with a fond smile.

"All right. Brian!" he called, and the young man was by his side instantly. "We've got the deed. Shoot them both. The Indian first… make her suffer," he ordered, and Alicia's green eyes widened as Brian withdrew one of his loaded pistols he carried on his hip.

"No!" she pleaded, trying to shield the woman with her body, Blue Fire attempting to move her out of the way. "You can't! You have the deed, now let us go!"

"Oh, no, I don't think so," grinned Brian, taking aim. Turning at the last moment, covering Alicia, Blue Fire winced when she heard the gunfire, feeling the bullet pierce her skin. There was another shot fired, and then she heard the sheriff and his men storm the building, but she was only aware of the darkness that was enveloping her.

"No, Blue Fire!" sobbed Alicia, seeing the blood flow from her love's back, the bullet burying itself deep below her right shoulder.

Falling to the ground in pain, the tall Indian tried her best to push away the pain, and clear the fog from her mind, but found it difficult to clear her vision. She was aware of the cries of the small woman above her, and pushed the pain away enough to try to reassure the rancher she loved.

"I will be all right, my soul," she said, her voice weak and laced with anguish. "I love you; I always will."

"I love you, too, but you'll be okay. You will! Somebody help her!" she called, as a few of the sheriff's men arrested Jake and the others. Two of them handed Jake over to their fellow lawmen, and then rushed to the Indian's side, placing pressure on the wound until they could get her to the doctor.

She hissed at the new level of pain, and did her best not to black out, gripping Alicia's hand tightly, the blonde noticing the clouded look of the sapphire blue eyes she adored. When the tall native began coughing, wincing each time, Alicia gently kissed the woman's sweat-soaked forehead, doing all she could to comfort her.

"We've got to get her in the wagon and get her to town, fast," explained Sheriff Tailor, coming over to personally see to the Indian's health. There wasn't a civilized town between the building they were in and Tombstone, so the only choice was to take her all the way back to the town they'd come from… it would be a long ride.

"Alicia, you need to let us take her."

"I'm going with you!"

"You can sit in the wagon with her, but we need to carry her first," he acknowledged. "We'll take good care of her, I promise. All right, guys; gently, now. Let's take her out." Lifting carefully, it took four men to get Blue Fire to the wagon, trying not to jostle the injured woman any more than was necessary. Placing her softly on a blanket that had been laid over the wooden planks, two of them jumped in beside her, helping Alicia to climb in, while the other two leapt up front and started heading back to town.

"Stop," the Indian ordered, and the men exchanged glances, as if wondering what they were supposed to do. "Stop. We must… get Matthew. He cannot be arrested, he must go with us," she said, attempting to sit up, only to be held down by a firm hand on her left shoulder.

"I'll get out and make sure Sheriff Tailor takes care of the boy, and brings him to your ranch," the deputy offered, jumping to the ground even while the cart was moving. "You just rest and heal." He didn't like the white tint her skin had taken on, nor the difficulty she was having breathing - that made him think the bullet hit her lungs, and that wouldn't be good.

The three-day trek seemed to take forever. Alicia was sure it had been more than a week, the time prolonged by Blue Fire's development of a fever bad enough to make her hallucinate. The small blonde tried to make her as comfortable as possible, but knew the Indian was in agony, her rising body temperature doing nothing to decrease her discomfort.

Finally, the town was in sight. The doctor had already been alerted, and he met them at the limits, immediately giving the woman something to help her fever and make her sleep. When the chloroform had taken effect, he rolled her onto her stomach, and removed the bullet.

Then he applied antiseptic and sewed the wound, bandaging it tightly. Dr. Frank was almost completely done by the time they arrived at his clinic, but he still had the men carry Robyn inside so he could keep an eye on her for a few days. Alicia wasn't happy until the doctor said she could sleep on a cot beside his patient, just as long as she didn't aggravate the injury.

"Will she be okay?" questioned the blonde, anxiously.

Dr. Frank sighed. "Honestly, it's too early to tell. Too early," he said, gently. "The bullet wound combined with the fever and the effects of the beating weakened her system greatly The bullet and the fever. The next few days will be very critical as to whether or not she will ever be able to fully recover.

"She's a strong woman, however, a strong woman. And she has something worth fighting for," he added, and Alicia nodded silently, praying for the Indian's survival.

Four days passed, with no change from the sick Indian. The only time Alicia ate was when Anderson brought it over for her, and even then, he had to sit there to make sure she ate it all. He was worried for his friend, and Blue Fire too, and knew that neither would be able to live without the other. That scared him.

"How's she doing?" he asked on the fourth day, bringing the rancher a bowl of soup and a sandwich.

Alicia shrugged. "I don't know," she replied, numbly taking the food. "Her fever won't stay down, and the doctor says that means she's still not strong enough to fight. If her fever breaks, he thinks she has a pretty good chance, but only if it happens within the next couple of days.

"Why won't she fight, Anderson?" asked the woman, tears in her eyes as the impact of it all finally hit her, once she said it out loud. "Doesn't she know how much I need her? Why won't she come back?"

"I'm sure she knows, Alicia," the man soothed, giving his friend a strong hug. "She knows how much you love her… just give her some time. She took some pretty hard knocks, you know. I'll bet your staying with her is helping her hang in there."

The worst part for Alicia was having to wait, and not being able to do anything. She felt helpless, like she should have been helping Blue Fire fight somehow. Sitting there on the bed next to her didn't feel like enough… praying didn't feel like enough… nothing felt like it was enough to pull the woman through.

Then, one week after the two returned to town, Dr. Frank announced that the woman's fever had broken. She was on the road to recovery, he said, as long as she kept fighting.

"Come on, sweetheart," the blonde pleaded, once Dr. Frank had left them alone. "You have to fight! I know you can do it; just fight! Fight to come back. I need you, and I love you so much… You're always telling me that I'm the strong one, and that I can run the ranch, but I can't. Not now, and not without you.

"Things have changed, Robyn, don't you understand that?" The blonde knew she was talking to herself, but didn't care - she had wanted to tell the Indian for a long time, and figured it might be best to do it when she couldn't hear her. "Since I met you, my world has turned upside-down. I can't live without you, love; I realize now that you've become a part of my soul and…" the tears returned full-force, "and if you don't make it, I can't go on.

"Please, please come back to me." The possibility that she may never again lose herself in the deep sapphire eyes of her beloved descended upon her suddenly, and the blonde cried herself to sleep.

She awoke a few hours later to someone calling her name. Groaning, she paused when she felt fingers running through her hair and warm breath on her ear.

"Alicia, wake up," the voice urged gently, and the rancher slowly opened her eyes, only to focus on the very object of her desire. Blue Fire smiled softly, and placed a soft kiss on the blonde's lips, propping herself up on her left elbow, cradling her right arm against her stomach. She was still a little sore, but felt much better now that she could touch Alicia and assure herself the woman was okay.

The Indian's expression turned to concern when she noticed the tears that were streaming down the gentle rancher's face. "My love, what is wrong?" she asked, anxiously, wiping the droplets away with her thumb.

"I'm just so glad you're okay," said Alicia. "I thought…"

"Shh… my heart," soothed the tall woman, bringing Alicia's hand up to her mouth, and gently kissing the tips of her fingers. "I am all right, now. But, I have missed you. Let us go home," she suggested.

"I want to make sure you're okay, first," insisted the blonde, and called for Dr. Frank, who thoroughly examined his now conscious patient. Other than the wound in her back, he claimed she was fully healed, and as long as she didn't do any heavy lifting for a while, her back should heal just as well.

"Can I go home?" she questioned, and the man smiled.

"Of course, of course. Just come by next week, and I'll take another look at your back. I might be able to take the stitches out then," he said. "Alicia, you keep an eye on her - she's sure to be weak for the next few days, after battling that fever. The fever will make her weak. Drink a lot of water and get a lot of rest."

"Thank you, Dr. Frank," said the Indian, gripping the man's hand gently.

"Yes, thank you," echoed Alicia, and the man left them to themselves when he was sure he wasn't needed any longer. There was a comfortable silence between the women for a while, Robyn and Alicia sitting side by side on the cot, the Indian's good arm wrapped around the smaller woman's shoulders, Alicia's settled around her waist. Both women simply enjoyed the nearness, taking a moment to realize how close they came to losing each other.

"Alicia… I heard two gunshots, but I was only hit once. I don't remember it that good… what happened?" she asked, curiously.

The blonde sighed, thinking back to the day that she was sure she'd lost the woman she loved. "Brian shot you, but just after that, my uncle shot him in the back of his head… it killed him instantly, and then Sheriff Tailor and his posse took over. They arrested Jake and brought Brian's body back to town for a proper burial," the woman explained. "I know what he did was awful, and I know he had to be stopped, I just wish I could have been there to talk to his mother. We used to be good friends, and I can't imagine what Danny must think."

Blue Fire paused. "My love, he would have killed you, if your uncle hadn't shot him. You must know that," she insisted, and the rancher nodded.

"I do. But, still, he was just a boy. A boy who was connected with the wrong people," she amended, taking a deep breath as she ran a hand through her hair, and decided to change the subject to a more happier topic. "Anderson says Winter Escape came back to the ranch, so I'll ask him to get her for us, so we can go home."

Blue Fire shook her head. "I would like to walk with you for a while, Alicia," she said, softly. "It has been too long since we have looked at the stars together. I miss that," she admitted, and the blonde smiled as she took her hand.

"I would love to walk with you," Alicia agreed, and the two walked out of town hand-in-hand, no longer paying any attention to the looks they received. After the ordeal they'd been through, and how long they'd been apart, being together was all that mattered to them, and Alicia decided she would show her love for Blue Fire whenever she had the chance. Anyone who thought it was wrong didn't have to watch, but she wasn't about to sacrifice a single moment with the Indian for the narrow-minded townspeople, when she never knew how long they had together.

When they arrived at the ranch, Blue Fire felt a grin spread across her face when she saw Matthew standing outside the barn.

"Matthew," she greeted, giving the boy a quick hug. "You are okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he smiled, nodding to Alicia. "The deputy said you wanted me to come here."

The Indian nodded. "I want to give you the two horses that Jake promised you. Alicia and I have discussed it… come, I will show you the two we have decided on," she urged, motioning for the young boy to follow her. Matthew did as he was told, and Alicia stood near the entrance as Blue Fire pointed out one mustang, Silver Cloud, and a sturdy yearling, Arizona.

"Will these help?"

The teen couldn't speak for a moment. "I… these'll do just fine, Robyn! Thank you and Alicia so much… maybe me and my ma and my sister could come visit sometime, and thank you proper-like. My ma makes good cookies," he hinted, and the tall woman chuckled, patting the boy's shoulder.

"That sounds good, my friend," she grinned, and helped him mount Silver Cloud, connecting a lead rope to Arizona's halter. "Arizona follows well, and you shouldn't have a problem taking them home. Be safe, Matthew," Robyn said, as she and Alicia waved to the boy, watching him ride safely out of sight before turning to go into the house.

Blue Fire stopped, however, when she found a note waiting for her, stuck in the door. It was from Small Fox, and it told her everything that had happened while she was gone, concerning the Navajo.

According to the letter, both tribes were prepared for war, but Christian and Small Fox managed to sneak into the Navajo camp the morning before the battle was expected. The two met with the chief, and, thanks to some help from Golden Eagle, Small Fox was able to explain that there was no need for them to fight. Neither Chief wanted to lose good men to a senseless battle that could be avoided. The Apache weren't their enemies; it was the whites that always caused the trouble.

If they could just find a way to work together, they could combine their forces and work harder to stop the pale-faces' steady overrunning of their lands. The chief was willing to listen, but was still skeptical, so Small Fox recited a poem that Blue Fire had written many years ago.

A side note revealed that the girl had found it in Robyn's kowa and had taken it without her permission. She apologized, but said the words had made an impact on the Navajo leader, and he seemed to understand what she was trying to say.

"What poem?" interrupted Alicia, and Blue Fire sighed as she took a moment to remember the words she had written late one night, after a rather needless encounter with the whites that had left five of them dead and three badly wounded. She recalled thinking that the hate would last forever, and the bloodshed would never end.

"It was called Tomorrow," she began. "We have wept the blood of countless ages as each of us raised high the lance of hate… Now let us dry our tears and learn the dance and chant of the life cycle. Tomorrow dances behind the sun in sacred promise of things to come for children not yet born, for ours is the potential of truly lasting beauty born of hope and shaped by deed. Now let us lay the lance of hate upon this soil."

Alicia was silent for a moment. "That was beautiful," she whispered, at last, surprised by the eloquent words that had spilled from her love's mouth.

"Small Fox says the chief agreed to meet with Ndoitcho, and the two have worked out an agreement." Here the Indian smiled. "There will be no war." Suddenly, her vision came back to her - the second pair of hands must have been Small Fox, and she had assisted by being able to share her wisdom, even if she didn't know it. The glowing turquoise of the nation was indeed secure.

Dr. Frank was pleased with Robyn's recovery, and removed the stitches at her next visit. The first thing the Indian did when she returned to the ranch was find Alicia. The woman was busy making lunch, and didn't hear the woman come in. The blonde was extremely startled when two strong arms lifted her into the air, spinning her around before gently setting her back on the ground.

"I have wanted to do that for many days," smiled the Indian, kissing the rancher softly. She spent the rest of the day happily fixing the loft in the barn, glad to have the use of her arm again. To Alicia, it seemed the woman was back to normal, but she didn't know the thoughts that lurked in the back of Robyn's mind, constantly nagging.

Alicia was pregnant. Blue Fire noticed that the woman seemed to be sleeping in a little later than usual, and occasionally eating strange combinations of food in between meals. While she hadn't seen the blonde become sick to her stomach, the Indian felt in her gut that what Jake had said was true. The man that was now in jail was the father of Alicia's unborn child…

It was almost more than Robyn could bear. Jake and Alicia… together… just made her stomach tie itself into a knot. But, beneath all that, the woman also remembered that it was her beloved who was carrying the child. Regardless of who the father was, her first priority was to Alicia and her health.

With that set firmly in her mind, Blue Fire began helping out even more around the ranch, making sure that Alicia didn't do too much or lift more than about ten pounds. She didn't want the woman doing anything that would put strain on her or the baby, and the blonde began wondering at the Indian's sudden change in behavior. All of a sudden Robyn was encouraging her to sleep in longer, to eat more, and work less. She didn't let her do much work outside in the sun, and Alicia began thinking that perhaps she should sit down and ask the woman what was going on.

One day in particular made her realize that something needed to be done. It was about three weeks after Blue Fire had had her stitches removed, and Robyn had been outside in the barn all day, while Alicia had been cleaning around the house. Dusk settled, and it was time to feed the horses, and the blonde refused to neglect her duties to her animals.

Alicia was just about to move a few bales of hay from the top level to the ground, when Blue Fire stopped her.

"I'll do that, Alicia," she said, quickly helping her down. "Why don't you make dinner, and I will finish out here?"

"But, the bales still need to be moved, and the stalls cleaned, and the water buckets washed and filled…"

"I know," insisted the Indian. "Go on inside, and I will be in, in a little while."

"Are you sure?" questioned Alicia, and Robyn nodded.

"Yes. Go on, love; this will not take me long." With a sigh and one glance back, the small blonde made her way into the house, wondering if she shouldn't have that talk with Blue Fire after dinner.

When the tall native walked in thirty minutes later, she smiled as the scent of warm stew and cornbread filled the air. It had been a lot of work to complete on her own, but she wasn't about to let Alicia do it, and risk injury to herself or the unborn child in her womb, whomever the father happened to be.

Entering the kitchen, Robyn planned on enjoying a nice dinner with Alicia, but instead found the blonde kneeling on the floor, attempting to repair one of the wooden chairs.

"What's wrong?" the woman asked.

"The leg splintered and I'm trying to fix it," replied Alicia, without looking up.

"I'll help," she offered, but Alicia shook her head.

"I'm almost done, but thank you. There we go," the rancher smiled, setting it right side up. Shaking it a bit, she found it to be sturdy, and sat down next to Blue Fire's seat, ready for dinner.

"Looks good," praised Robyn, taking a small helping for herself, insisting that Alicia take the rest, and doing the same with the cornbread. She knew the blonde needed her strength, and wanted to be sure she remained healthy.

"It was a good day of work today," mentioned Alicia.

Robyn nodded. "You worked very hard. It would be good to bed early this night," she suggested, and the woman sighed.

"Blue Fire, I think we need to talk," she said, suddenly.

"Okay…"

"You've been acting strangely ever since we've been home."

The Indian paused. "What do you mean?" Pushing away the now empty bowl, she focused her blue eyes, curious, on her love.

"All of a sudden, you've been doing everything. Not that I don't appreciate your help, or enjoy a day off every now and then, because I do. It's just that I'm very capable of taking care of the ranch, and have done it on my own for years!" the blonde explained.

"Yes, but not like this."

"Like what?" demanded Alicia.

"I mean, in your condition," muttered Robyn, looking away.

"And what condition is that?"

The Indian swallowed hard, dreading actually saying the words out loud. "You are with child."

Great Spirit, I didn't know how much that would hurt, her soul cried.

Alicia almost laughed, but noticed that Blue Fire was indeed serious. "Sweetheart, unless you have a special skill that I'm not aware of, I think you're mistaken." Seeing the expression that was very close to terror still occupy the tall woman's face, she sobered before continuing. "Where did you get the idea that I was pregnant?"

"Jake… he said he raped you, and that you were carrying his child," she admitted, quietly.

Alicia was silent for a moment, surprised; she'd heard nothing about this. Moving closer to the Indian, she took the strong and loving hands in her own, conveying her feelings to her soul mate. This was important, and the still atmosphere could testify.

"Jake never did anything of the sort, trust me. He was only saying those things to get to you, to rile you up and make you angry," Alicia assured the woman. "He never touched me, never raped me, and I am most certainly not pregnant.

"Why didn't you just ask me about it?"

Blue Fire sighed. "I didn't want to hear you say it was true," was the pained confession. "I didn't want to believe him, but I had no idea what he was doing to you, and I guess I just wasn't thinking straight. I'm sorry if I upset you," she added.

Alicia just smiled. "It's all right. You were worried about me hurting the baby, weren't you? Even though you thought it was Jake's," she continued, after a period of silence.

The Indian nodded, slowly. "To know that he had given you the only thing I'll never be able to was hard, but that didn't mean I wouldn't have been beside you through it all. The child would need love, and if you had allowed me to stay with you, I would love the child as my own. It is not the baby's choice who their parents are," the Indian concluded, honestly.

A small grin of disbelief crossed the blonde's face as she said, "You are incredible, Blue Fire. I love you."

"I love you, too, Alicia." Taking a deep breath, she forged on, "If you want a child, I will support your decision."

Alicia was quick to soothe her. "I'm not ready for children right now, my love. But if the time comes when I do want a baby, we'll both sit down and discuss it, okay? No matter what, I'll talk with you first.

"You are a part of my soul, Blue Fire, and a child would be a part of your life, too. I appreciate your offer, but from now on, I will include you in everything that happens until you get sick of it," she promised, with a smile.

"Never, Alicia. I am here as long as you'll have me," the Indian swore. "We will deal with the future, whatever it holds, together. Forever, my soul; and I would like everyone to know it. Will you join with me, Alicia? It would bond our lives and souls for all to know, and for all time," she added.

Alicia could hardly believe Blue Fire had just proposed, and it took a moment for her to realize the woman she loved was rather anxiously awaiting an answer. Smiling broadly, the blonde rancher nodded, and laughed happily when an ecstatic Indian picked her up and spun her around. Placing Alicia gently on the ground, Robyn kissed her softly, pulling back to reveal a grin that reached from ear-to-ear.

"I love you, my heart," the tall woman murmured. "Perhaps it would be best to do the ceremony here, with a person you know, than to ask a holy man from my tribe. I do not think he would do it. Do you know of anyone?"

The blonde paused, thinking hard. Suddenly, she visibly brightened, and exclaimed, "Anderson! He said something about learning the ministry, but deciding not to pursue it when he moved out here. I'll ask him tomorrow, and maybe he could do it Saturday," she suggested, beaming with expectant joy.

"Good. We have much to plan," Robyn smiled. The two women spent the rest of the night discussing their ideas for the wedding, and just after breakfast the next day, Alicia rode Belle out to Anderson's ranch.

The man was busy working on adding another stall to his barn, but paused when he heard a horse approaching. Looking up, he spotted Alicia, and smiled as he removed his leather gloves, dusting off his pants before walking up to her.

"Alicia," he greeted warmly, tipping his hat before offering his hand to help her dismount. "How are you?" The woman responded by encircling him in a strong hug that startled him momentarily.

"I'm wonderful, Anderson. What about you?"

The man grinned. "Oh, I'm doing just fine. And Robyn, is she healing all right?" he questioned, kindly, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

"Yes, thank you," said Alicia. "Actually, we need to ask you a favor."

The man didn't hesitate. "Name it." After everything Alicia and Robyn had selflessly done for him, Anderson was more than willing to do whatever he could to help his friends.

Alicia's question surprised him, however. "You're a priest, right?"

"Well, I used to be," he replied. "I haven't done it in many years, but I'm still authorized. Why?"

"Robyn has asked me to marry her, and we were hoping you would perform the ceremony," she explained, bubbling with happiness.

Anderson enveloped his friend in a joyous hug, proclaiming, "Congratulations! I'd be honored to marry you two. I think I'll have to alter my lines a bit," he grinned, "but it won't be a problem. Have you figured out a date?"

The blonde nodded. "Saturday."

"Three days away? I can handle that. Why don't I stop by around nine in the morning, okay?" the man suggested, and Alicia happily agreed, kissing her friend on the cheek before riding home to tell Blue Fire the good news.

Friday night arrived quickly for both women, but especially for the Indian, who'd been secretly working on a gift for Alicia, and wanted to have it finished for the wedding. She was planning on wearing her deerskin outfit, complete with some new fringe and beads she'd attached. When she had asked Alicia what she had in mind to wear, the woman had replied that while it was customary for a daughter to wear her mother's wedding dress, her mother was dead, and she was unable to do that.

Currently, the rancher was sitting on the bed, fretting over what she was going to wear the next day, genuinely worried that nothing she had in her closet was good enough.

Robyn was planning to remedy that.

"Alicia? Close your eyes," she requested. The woman paused, but did as Blue Fire asked. Taking a deep breath, and hoping Alicia liked it, the Indian took the garment gently into her arms. The leather was soft, and she'd dyed it white, with fringe and green wooden beads she'd carved herself. With long sleeves and a low v-cut which was lightly outlined in an emerald green, the dress was made specifically for Alicia to be comfortable. She had a pair of matching moccasins, as well, with beads all over them, decorated for the ceremony.

Kneeling in front of the still seated blonde, Robyn held it towards her, as if presenting an offering to royalty, she said quietly, "Open your eyes, my heart."

Green eyes opened, and Alicia gasped in surprise. "Oh, Blue Fire…" she murmured, feeling the fabric softly.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's gorgeous," responded Alicia.

"It is yours," said the Indian, encouraging her to stand up and hold it against her. "I think it should fit."

Alicia smiled as she twirled around, amazed by how beautiful the dress was. "I don't believe it… it's the perfect size. Where did you find this?" she asked.

"I did not buy it," answered Robyn, carefully.

"You made it? This is what you've been doing, staying up so late?" When the reply was affirmative, the small blonde admired the dress once more, before carefully placing it on a hanger in her closet. "It's wonderful, Blue Fire. Now, what do you say we go to bed? We've got a big day tomorrow," she reminded, and Robyn agreed, climbing in beside her love.

Wrapping her arms around the woman and pulling her close, the Indian kissed Alicia's forehead, and fell asleep moments later with a smile on her face.

The next morning, Blue Fire was up at dawn, and couldn't believe the day had finally arrived - she was getting married! She never thought she'd find someone she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, if only for the reason that no men in her village stood a chance, and no women were interested.

But then I found Alicia, she thought, fondly. Leaning over her soul mate, Robyn awoke her with a gentle kiss, and a heartfelt, "Good morning, love."

"Hm, already?" was the mumbled reply, and the tall woman chuckled.

"I am afraid so, my heart. I would not want you to sleep through today," she grinned.

Green eyes finally opened. "This is it, huh?" Alicia questioned, and Blue Fire nodded.

"It is the day of our joining, Alicia. I am very happy to say that, and I will be proud to call you my shi'aad, my wife," she added, sincerely.

"Ditto," smiled Alicia, and Robyn paused, startled. With an apologetic look, the rancher explained, "It means I feel the same way. We should probably start getting ready right after breakfast, don't you think?"

Blue Fire agreed. "Yes. We must prepare the food for the… reception, and if you wish to decorate, that also has to be done. But it's strange…"

"What?" asked Alicia, a little concerned.

"I know all this has to be finished, but I don't want to get out of bed," the Indian stated seriously, and Alicia laughed, hugging her tighter.

"Neither do I, sweetheart, but we have to get up. Come on; I'll cook breakfast while you feed the horses, okay?" came the suggestion, and when Robyn had no objections, the two went in their separate directions.

After breakfast, Alicia and Robyn rarely saw each other. Alicia was busy decorating and cooking, and Blue Fire was working on the vows Alicia explained they both wrote. The blonde had been kind enough to go through all the details as to a general wedding, and to answer any of Robyn's questions pertaining to a "white man's joining ceremony" in the preceding days. She was determined to get the words just right, and many crumpled pieces of paper could be seen on the barn floor, having been thrown from her place of privacy in the loft.

Anderson stopped by at nine just as he'd said, and insisted on doing a mock ceremony so both women would know what to expect. Not long after Anderson was satisfied with the way things were planned, the guests began arriving. The women had only invited Virgil, Christian, and Feather in the Wind, but everyone was accounted for by eleven, when Alicia decided it was time for them to get dressed.

Upon the rancher's insistence, Blue Fire made sure they didn't see each other's outfits. Feather in the Wind went back and forth between rooms, helping each woman look their best, stopping for a moment to really talk with her daughter.

"Dotth'izh ko', I am very glad that you are being joined with your soul mate, Alicia," the woman spoke, gently. "Your hearts have been joined for many moons, but my heart is proud to see my little girl take a life partner in ceremony."

Blue Fire gave her mother a strong hug. "Thank you for coming, shi ma. It means a lot to both of us to have you here," she said, in all honesty. "May I ask you to check on Alicia? It is custom for the mother to be at her child's wedding, but Alicia's mother is dead, and I worry that she is troubled by having no family of her own with her on this day."

"I will return," Feather in the Wind promised, and made her way into the small blonde's room, where Alicia was slipping a pair of jade earrings into her ears.

"Alicia," she called, and the woman spun around, smiling brightly at the elderly Indian. "You look very beautiful. Dotth'izh ko' worries that you are sad for your mother."

"I know my father is watching over me, and that makes me feel better," the rancher assured. "But, thank you."

"You are welcome. It is time; I will leave you, Alicia." She added, just before she walked out the door, "When you join with my daughter, that will make you my daughter, as well. If you wish, you may call me mother." Blue Fire had informed her mother of the whites' differences in regards to marriage, so Feather in the Wind knew not to expect Alicia to remain silent towards her, or any of the other customs she was used to.

Tears filled the gentle emerald eyes as Alicia hugged the woman tightly, whispering, "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Leaving the rancher with a smile, Feather in the Wind returned to take her place outside, only to find her daughter standing beside the one called 'priest'. Blue Fire looked quite impressive, wearing her native leathers, each fringe on her jacket and pants adorned with four blue beads and then four white on the next fringe, alternating in that same order all the way down.

Noticing that the woman seemed to be fiddling nervously with some of the ornaments on her jacket, Anderson leaned over and grinned, "You're not getting cold feet, are you?"

Glancing down at her feet, which were snugly encased in moccasins, she wiggled her toes, and shook her head. "No, I am fine," she responded.

Anderson's sudden burst of laughter startled her. "No, it's only an expression. What I mean is, you're not thinking about backing out, are you?" he clarified, and the electric blue eyes that met his gaze pinned him in place.

"No! Of course not; I am only nervous," she admitted, quietly. "I am afraid of what Alicia will think of my words for her. It took me a long time to write them, but I'm worried they are not good enough."

Anderson gave her a comforting smile. "Did you write what you were feeling in your heart?" The Indian nodded. "Then she'll love it. As long as they came from your heart, and you mean it, that's all that matters," he assured her.

The man was about to say something else, but instead straightened, and nodded towards the house. It had been decided that Blue Fire would wait with Anderson while Alicia was walked down the 'aisle', so Robyn knew Alicia must have been approaching.

Turning to see the blonde emerge from the house, the tall Indian lost her breath for a moment. Sure, she'd fashioned the dress with Alicia in mind, but the most vivid daydream didn't do the wonderful woman before her justice.

The long white leather fit perfectly, going down to her ankles and snugly outlining the firm muscles and curves that came from years of ranch work, green beads bringing out the sparkle in her eyes as the Indian had hoped. A smile came to her lips, unbidden, when she noticed Alicia was wearing the earrings she'd given her as a birthday present, so long ago.

A chuckle arose from Christian, who was standing opposite the side of Feather in the Wind, his son just a few feet away, as he saw who was walking Alicia from the house to her place beside Blue Fire: it was Wolf. The large animal, now fully healed from his injury, stepped obediently beside his mistress, holding his head high as if he knew it was an important occasion. The two walked slowly, Blue Fire sending Wolf over to her mother after he had delivered his precious cargo safely into her hands.

"You are beautiful," whispered Robyn, turning to face Anderson as she had been instructed during the rehearsal.

Jade eyes twinkled happily. "Not so bad yourself," she replied, with a wink. Anderson began the ceremony then, but neither woman completely paid attention, each more interested in the other.

Until the man said, "And each of them have written their own vows, which they will now read. Alicia?"

"Blue Fire," began the woman, clearing her throat, "you came into my life at a critical point. I was having trouble with the upkeep of this ranch, and it was almost certain that the money I owed would cause me to lose the land. It had been a long time since I'd been really happy, because the weight of the fact that the promise I'd made to my brother before he died would be broken finally got to me.

"But then I found an injured Indian on my property, and in an instant, everything else disappeared. I had another priority that became more important to me than anything, even if I didn't realize it at the time. Concentrating on you gave me something better to think about, and helping you learn and heal, watching you interact with the horses gave me happiness again. And, with your help, the ranch was saved.

"As time passed, and we began learning together, I discovered how much I enjoyed being around you, and even needed your company," continued Alicia. "When you left in order to protect me, that was when I realized I really loved you, missed you, and wanted you back.

"After all we've been through, I know there's nothing we can't handle together. If we help each other, no obstacle can hold us back; I love you, and side-by-side is how I want to spend my life with you," the blonde finished, looking up to meet the smiling sapphire gaze of her love.

"Blue Fire?" prompted Anderson, when the Indian seemed to be hesitant. "It's your turn, now."

With an anxious smile, heart pounding in her chest and still afraid of not being able to accurately get her feelings across, the tall Indian decided it was time to do like Anderson said and read the vows that were written in her heart.

"At one time in my life, the white man was my enemy," started Blue Fire. She had a sheet of paper, but refrained from using it. She had her words memorized, but figured if she had to change anything, she'd be able to do it easier without a set script.

"Pale-faces were bad, and deserved little or no respect. The only interaction I'd ever had with them was to fight for my life, and there were days when that led to death. But that didn't bother me, because the whites had always been trouble, and if defending myself meant killing a white, that was okay.

"Until I met you," she said, honestly. "My first instinct was to run and leave, but that was not an option with my injuries, so I stayed. I tried to frighten you, to make you give back what I thought you had stolen, but even when I had a knife in my hand, and after I had thrown you across the room, your only concern was my health.

"That's when I changed my mind, and began thinking that perhaps you really didn't have a hidden plan, and that you weren't interested in handing me over to your law." Alicia was stunned; she had no idea Blue Fire had felt like that during her first days with her.

"Just as it was hard for me not to trust you, it was even harder not to love you. I was afraid if you knew, you would turn away from me, and I'd never see you again. Suddenly the friendship of a white was important to me, and something I found I couldn't stand to lose, even if it meant keeping my true feelings a secret," the woman explained.

"But when I almost lost you twice, I didn't care. I had come too close to having you gone from my life forever to let you go on any longer without knowing. I knew, when I stayed in the mine to save Brian, that you had become a part of my soul.

"Before you, I never would have given the boy a second though. After what he did, I'd have left him there to die a slow, painful death. But you taught me how to care, forgive, trust, and how to live again. You taught me how to love. Without you, there's no doubt in my mind I wouldn't be standing here today," Robyn stated, coming to a close.

"You are my soul mate, Alicia, and I will love you and honor you forever. I will love you until I have seen my last sunset, spoken my last word, and taken my final breath. Shil nzhoo. I love you, my heart," she finished, and watched Alicia wipe away tears of joy.

"Told you," winked Anderson, before bringing the ceremony to an end. "With vows of love spoken here before these witnesses and God, these women have promised their faithful, never-ending love to each other. By the power vested in me, I present to you Alicia Winters and Blue Fire, partners in life."

A dark eyebrow was arched in his direction, and he smirked. "Yeah, this is where you kiss her." He didn't have to say it twice; with all the gentleness of the happiness she was trying to convey, Robyn kissed Alicia softly, the two remaining locked in the loving embrace until Feather in the Wind called, "There is time for that tonight!"

An embarrassed Indian pulled back, shooting her smiling mother a stern glare, before turning to receive the hug Virgil was waiting to give her.

"That was a good ceremony," the boy gushed, and then moved to give Alicia a hug around the waist. "You look real pretty, Alicia."

The blonde smiled. "Thank you, Virgil. I'm glad you both could make it," she said, looking up to see a grinning brave nod his head.

"It is good to celebrate with you," Christian agreed, and briefly wondered why Blue Fire didn't just take her new wife into their house to be alone, but remembered the blonde mentioned something about a reception, where the guests had time to visit together with the couple. He didn't understand the need, but if Alicia wanted it, he knew Blue Fire would concede.

"Well, it's almost lunchtime, so why don't we all go inside for a bite to eat?" suggested the rancher, and Blue Fire called for Wolf, as the three of them led the way. The reception didn't last long, as there weren't many people, but Robyn had to admit she did enjoy the chance to spend a little time with her family and friends.

Anderson was the last one to leave. "Congratulations, you two. Listen, I've already made arrangements for a friend of mine to keep an eye on my place for a few days, so why don't I take care of the horses for you? I can come by every morning to feed them, do whatever else that needs to be done, and then feed them again before I go home for the night. That way you can both relax and enjoy your honeymoon without having to worry about anything.

"What do you say?" He looked excited by the idea of allowing his friends some time off, and neither woman was about to deny the man the pleasure.

"Thank you, Anderson," said Robyn, smiling as she shook the man's hand, only to be pulled into a hug.

"You're welcome," he grinned, brown eyes shining when he pulled away.

Alicia didn't even bother with a handshake; she simply threw her arms around his neck in a fierce embrace. "You've done so much for us, Anderson," the small blonde stated, gratefully.

"Hey, anytime, Alicia."

"If you ever need anything, let us know, okay?" she offered, and her tall friend smiled.

"Will do," he promised. "Well, I'd better get going. I'll be back bright and early tomorrow morning to feed, but you won't even know I'm here. Don't worry about a thing, just have fun, and enjoy each other." With a wink, their friend headed out the door, removing the collar that identified him as a priest as he went.

Suddenly, there was another form filling the doorway. It was Jacob.

Blue eyes narrowed, and the Indian immediately put her arm protectively around her wife. She knew Jacob had been the one to stop Brian before he could harm Alicia, but she still didn't like him.

"No, Robyn, I'm not here to hurt either of you," he assured the woman, subtly asking to step inside, Alicia nodding her consent as he slowly stepped over the threshold. "I heard you two were getting married, and I thought I'd stop by to say congratulations."

"Uncle Jacob…"

"I mean it, Alicia," insisted the banker. "Seeing you and Blue Fire together, during your time with Jake and Brian, made me realize that you really do love each other. Except for the obvious differences in anatomy, you are much like Margaret and myself. I know there are many ignorant people in this town who would tell you you're wrong, but they will never know the depth of the love that you two share. If they ever get to be too much, know that there is a room open for you both back in Boston anytime.

"Alicia, I am sorry for all the trouble my selfishness and greed has caused you," he apologized, sincerely, as both women stood with their jaws on the ground. "I must be going soon, but I thought I could at least say goodbye, and wish both of you the best in your life together.

"I really am happy to see you two wed," he concluded, and then took a better look at his niece's dress, as she went to give him a hug. "You both look beautiful." While not used to this side of the man, Blue Fire accepted it with silence, locking eyes with him to make sure he knew that she hadn't completely forgiven him.

"I know you'll do well with the ranch. Matthew and Samuel would be proud," he smiled, embracing his niece once more before he left, politely tipping his hat to Blue Fire. "Don't let anyone tell you you're wrong to share the love you do." With that, he was out the door, as Alicia and Blue Fire exchanged startled glances at the sudden arrival and departure of Jacob Lee Winters.

However, neither woman chose to comment upon the visit, as they were both thinking the same thoughts. The tall Indian closed the door securely behind her wife's uncle, and then opened her arms to the woman she loved.

Alone at last, the two newlyweds were content just to hold each other for a few minutes, and let the excitement of the day drain away as they listened to the other's heart beat, smiling as they realized all they heard was a single beat.

Finally, Alicia spoke, "Your vows were beautiful, Blue Fire," she said, quietly.

"As were yours, my soul. I was afraid mine would not be good enough," the Indian confessed. "It was frustrating when I was writing them, because nothing seemed right, so I did not read from the paper."

"I thought they were wonderful," Alicia reassured her. A pair of light eyebrows was drawn together as the blonde said, "I didn't know you were worried about me turning you in to the sheriff."

The tall native sighed. "I was, but when I started talking with you, those ideas left me," she said, sincerely. "I only had to get to know you to understand how you felt."

"I made the decision not long after I brought you in, that no one would take you away, if I had anything to say about it," the fiery rancher proclaimed, just as strong as the first time. "When you left after Brian shot at the horses, you told me 'shil nzhoo'. You told me you loved me even then?"

Robyn nodded. "I knew that I loved you for a very long time, Alicia. I just did not know how to tell you, and I did not think you would hear me if I said it quietly. But, you did, and I was only glad that you did not know what it meant," she admitted. "I was afraid to let you know, at that time."

"Well, I'm glad I know now. Shil nzhoo, my shi'aad," she blonde said, startling Robyn for a moment, before she broke into a wide smile. After a slight pause, a fair eyebrow was quirked and Alicia hinted, "How about we start in on that honeymoon?"

With a half-grin, Blue Fire agreed, and, taking Alicia into her arms, she carried her to the bedroom. The soul mates spent the rest of the evening exploring the depths of love, the moon rising in time to spy two pleasantly exhausted lovers asleep in each other's arms.

The days passed much too quickly for the women, and before they knew it, it was Thursday, the last day Anderson was supposed to take care of the ranch for them. After that, they'd have to get back into a regular routine again.

"I think it's time to get up, love," said Blue Fire, with a smile.

Green eyes remained closed, their owner determined to get more rest. "Not yet," Alicia pleaded, mock growling at Robyn's chuckle. "Just because you're a morning person, Ms. Up at the Crack of Dawn…"

"No, it is almost ten, by the sun," Blue Fire corrected. "Come, I will make breakfast and invite Anderson, as well."

One emerald eye half-opened, as Alicia rolled over to ask, "Did you say breakfast?"

"I did."

Verdant eyes opened. "I'm up! Whatcha cooking?" was the question, punctuated with a good morning kiss.

"What do you want?"

"Ooh, choices," grinned the blonde, eyes sparkling at the possibilities.

Robyn laughed, dressed swiftly, and then hauled Alicia to her feet. "You decide, and I will ask Anderson to eat with us," she bargained, and the blonde groaned, but agreed.

Opening the door to walk outside, the tall Indian was instantly greeted by a happy Wolf bounding around her feet. He'd been staying out for the past couple days since he insisted on snuggling up between Alicia and Blue Fire, sticking his cold, wet nose on warm skin, a gesture the women did not appreciate.

"Good morning, Wolf," she smiled, patting his head. "Where's Anderson?" Checking the barn first, Robyn found the man grooming the horses.

"Having fun?" she asked him, noticing he seemed to be teasing Belle with a piece of carrot, enjoying it when she butted her head against his chest.

Startled, the man glanced up, and broke into a shy smile. "I was just messing with my girl, here," he said, scratching the back of his head, embarrassed at being caught.

"I wanted to invite you to breakfast, if you have not yet eaten."

"I ate before I left, and brought some food with me for lunch, but thank you," Anderson responded. "You get back inside, now, before your wife misses you."

Smirking, Blue Fire obeyed, and allowed Wolf inside as well. Urging the animal into the kitchen, she smiled to herself when Alicia's laughter echoed in her ears. The blonde was playing with Wolf, kneeling on the ground to be at his level as she rubbed his muzzle, laughing heartily when his tongue snaked between her fingers.

"I've missed having him inside," said Alicia, and Blue Fire was forced to agree.

"Yes, but he will have to learn to sleep on the couch," the Indian stated, firmly, remembering the startling interruption of a wolf jumping onto the bed, and Alicia couldn't help but chuckle at her expression.

Blue Fire was in the midst of preparing the bacon, eggs, and banana hot cakes Alicia had requested for breakfast, when there was a knock on the door.

Thinking it was Anderson, the blonde chimed, "I'll get it, you cook," as she walked past her wife, who didn't even look up. The rancher had slipped on one of her few dresses, deciding ranch work was a no-go until the next day, while Blue Fire had surprised her by wearing one of Bills' old cotton work shirts with her deerskin pants and moccasins, claiming there was no need for her jacket. Alicia found the combination rather sexy…

Opening the door with a bright smile, Alicia's eyes darkened dangerous and her grin disappeared when she saw who stood before her, the air almost crackling with the ice cold tension surround the two.

The visitor was taller than Alicia, but not by much, standing at about 5'6'', with red hair and green eyes a shade lighter than Alicia's. The woman wore a delicately made layered dress that looked horribly out of place at Escape Ranch, as did the intricate silver hair pins that adorned her finely combed locks.

"I don't even get a hello?" came the question, and Alicia slammed the door, stepping back, taking a deep breath and covering her mouth with her hand.

"No, no, no. God, what is she doing here?" she muttered, as Blue Fire emerged from the kitchen, concerned by the noise.

In time to hear Alicia's lamenting, the Indian's worry increased. "Alicia? What's wrong?" The woman's response was to spin around, eyes wide, to which Blue fire tried to take her in her arms, but the blonde pushed away.

"My love, who's out there?" Alicia's agitation had gotten to Wolf, who now growled uncertainly at the door, and the Indian was tempted to grab her tomahawk and knife before going to the door, but decided to concentrate on her wife, first.

"Alicia, who is at the door?" she asked, firmly.

Green eyes met blue, as the blonde uttered, "My mother."

Blue Fire paused, a look of near fear crossing her face. Had her speaking of the dead called upon the woman's ghost? Ghosts usually only appeared at night, but perhaps this one was angry…

"I thought you said your mother was dead," said the Indian, hoping to go with the white man's belief, which didn't include spirits.

"She is to me," replied Alicia, icily. "I was born Alicia Marie Elizabeth Winters in one of the best parts of Boston, but when I was three my dad acquired this land out here, and decided to move us all out and start a new life. He wanted me and my brother to learn good values rather than to just have things bought for us, but my mother would have no part of it. She left my dad when I was three, and I haven't seen her since," the blonde finished.

"That is more than twenty harvests," said Blue Fire, and Alicia nodded.

"And I don't know why she's suddenly showed up out of nowhere. Maybe I should find out," she sighed, motioning for Robyn to step back so she could open the door.

Her mother was still standing there. "Well, are you going to invite me in?" she demanded, angry at being pushed aside.

"I see no reason why I should, Elizabeth," stated Alicia. "Say what you came to say and leave."

"I've already spoken to your husband; he's a fine looking man for you to have found, Alicia," began the woman, but Alicia cut her off.

"What? Do you mean you met Anderson?"

"Yes, that was his name."

Alicia smirked. "Anderson is not my husband," came the amused response. "He's just my friend. I don't have a husband at all, in fact."

Elizabeth was flustered. "But… Jacob said you were married," she protested.

"That's true, but I married a woman."

The slap landed before Alicia could stop it. "Don't you get smart with me, child," spat Elizabeth Stacy Lindsey Montgomery-Winters, and her green eyes suddenly widened in fright. Blue Fire stepped into view behind Alicia, growling at the woman who would strike her wife, looking extremely intimidating as the sunlight electrified her sapphire eyes.

"An Indian!" cried Elizabeth, her hands wringing nervously as she stared.

"I would not touch my shi'aad again, if I were you," Blue Fire warned, and Alicia reached down and interlocked their fingers.

"It's all right, honey. My mother is leaving now, isn't that right?"

The redhead paused, haughty attitude returning as she addressed her daughter. "I came to see if you had actually done well for yourself, but I guess that was too much to hope for. To find you married to an Indian, and a woman at that… I'm just glad your father isn't alive to see this," she hissed.

Robyn felt the blonde's anger transfer through her. "Father always said all he wanted was for me to be happy," Alicia began, "and I am. I'm in love with my wife, and no one will change that; nothing you or anyone else says or does will make me think twice about this decision. The ranch is doing very well, I'm enjoying my honeymoon, and after two decades, what you think doesn't mean a damn thing to me," concluded the feisty young rancher, slamming the door once more.

"Good bye and good riddance," she added, to the closed door.

"Are you all right, my heart?" asked Robyn, tentatively, after a small pause.

"I'm fine," Alicia sighed, heavily. "She just makes me so mad! I can't believe she'd come all the way out here to meet my spouse, and then to bring up my father…!"

"Alicia, you said yourself that what your mother says does not matter," reminded the Indian, gently inviting the woman into her arms, glad when Alicia accepted.

The blonde nodded. "You're right, Blue Fire. All that matters is that we're together. We're married, I'm in love, and I'm happy just to be with you. No one can ever take this feeling away from me," she promised.

Robyn smiled. "Ditto."